Advanced, minimally invasive surgical techniques like arthroscopic procedures allow you to recover and return to normal activities faster. The expert team at West Tennessee Bone & Joint Institute offers arthroscopic surgery procedures to help get patients back on their feet. To find out if you’re a candidate for arthroscopic surgery, call the office nearest you or book an appointment online today.
What is arthroscopic surgery?
Arthroscopic surgery, also known as arthroscopy, is a minimally invasive orthopedic procedure that the team at West Tennessee Bone & Joint Institute. uses to diagnose and treat many joint problems.
Arthroscopy allows your surgeon to look inside your joint without making a large incision. Smaller incisions lead to a variety of benefits, including less blood loss, reduced scarring, and a faster and easier recovery.
What are common arthroscopic procedures?
The surgeons at West Tennessee Bone & Joint Institute use arthroscopy for a variety of joint problems, including:
- Meniscus tears
- Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears
- Bursitis
- Rotator cuff tears
- Labral tears
- Frozen shoulder
Your surgeon may use arthroscopy to diagnose the cause of joint pain, including hip, knee, shoulder, elbow, ankle, or wrist pain.
What happens during an arthroscopic procedure?
The team at West Tennessee Bone & Joint Institute performs many arthroscopic procedures on an outpatient basis at the nearby Physician Surgery Center. That means you can go home the same day.
During arthroscopic surgery, your surgeon makes a tiny incision that’s about the size of a buttonhole. Then, he inserts a pencil-thin tube with a light and camera into the incision. The camera magnifies images and projects them onto a monitor for your surgeon to view.
If the surgeon detects a problem in your joint, he may be able to treat it in the same arthroscopic procedure by making another small incision.
What is the recovery like after arthroscopic surgery?
The recovery period after an arthroscopic procedure is typically much shorter and less painful than that of open surgery. However, you still need to plan for some downtime.
Recovery time varies from person to person, depending on the type of injury and procedure. Your orthopedic surgeon at West Tennessee Bone & Joint Institute helps you plan for what to expect from your specific recovery process.
Your surgeon also may prescribe physical therapy to help you recover successfully while regaining strength and range of motion.
To find out if an arthroscopic procedure can help you, call West Tennessee Bone & Joint Institute, or schedule an appointment online today.