MINIMALLY INVASIVE JOINT SURGERIES/ARTHROSCOPY

🦴 Minimally Invasive Joint Surgeries / Arthroscopy in Orthopaedics

Minimally invasive joint surgery—especially arthroscopy—has become the gold standard for diagnosing and treating many intra-articular conditions, offering reduced pain, quicker recovery, and smaller incisions compared to open surgery.

🔹 What is Arthroscopy?

Arthroscopy is a surgical technique in which a small camera (arthroscope) and miniature instruments are inserted into the joint through tiny incisions (portals) to visualize, diagnose, and treat joint problems.

Camera projects images onto a monitor

Minimally traumatic to skin, soft tissues, and joint capsule

🔹 Advantages of Arthroscopy

✅ Smaller incisions

✅ Less post-operative pain

✅ Faster recovery

✅ Reduced hospital stay (often day care)

✅ Minimal blood loss

✅ Lower infection risk

✅ Better cosmetic outcome

🔹 Common Joints Treated Arthroscopically

Joint Common Indications

Knee Meniscus tear, ACL/PCL reconstruction, cartilage lesions, synovectomy

Shoulder Rotator cuff repair, impingement syndrome, labral tears, frozen shoulder

Hip Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), labral tears, loose bodies

Ankle Anterior impingement, loose bodies, OCD (osteochondritis dissecans)

Wrist TFCC tears, carpal instability, ganglion cysts

Elbow Loose body removal, synovitis, contracture release

🔹 Common Arthroscopic Procedures

🦿 Knee Arthroscopy

Meniscectomy or meniscal repair

ACL reconstruction

Cartilage debridement/microfracture

Synovectomy

Lateral release (for patellar tracking issues)

💪 Shoulder Arthroscopy

Rotator cuff repair

Subacromial decompression

SLAP lesion repair

Bankart repair (for recurrent dislocation)

Biceps tenodesis

🩻 Hip Arthroscopy

Labral repair

Femoroplasty (for cam/pincer lesions in FAI)

Synovectomy or loose body removal

🔹 Equipment Used

Arthroscope (typically 2.7mm or 4.0mm)

Light source

Saline/lactated Ringer’s irrigation system

Trocar/cannula systems

Power shavers

RF ablation probes

Specialized instruments (graspers, scissors, punches)

🔹 Contraindications

Severe joint arthritis (especially if joint space is obliterated)

Active infection

Inaccessible joint anatomy (e.g. severe deformity or scarring)

Poor general health status

🔹 Risks and Complications

Infection (rare)

Thrombosis

Bleeding/hemarthrosis

Nerve or vessel injury

Stiffness or incomplete resolution of symptoms

🔹 Summary Chart

Feature Open Surgery Arthroscopy

Incision size Large Small (0.5–1 cm)

Recovery time Long Short

Blood loss More Minimal

Hospital stay Longer Often day-care

Scarring Visible Minimal

Indications Advanced disease Early–moderate, focal lesions