5 Benefits of Arthroscopic Surgery

Facing orthopedic surgery is daunting, especially when it comes to recovery. However, technology has come a long way, and we now perform many procedures using minimally invasive techniques.

Arthroscopic surgery is one of the types of minimally invasive procedures used for orthopedic issues like ACL tears and rotator cuff injuries.

At Peninsula Orthopedic Associates, our team of orthopedic specialists offers arthroscopic surgery when you're suffering from intractable pain or an injury. This form of surgery has several amazing benefits over traditional, open surgical procedures.

What is arthroscopic surgery?

Arthroscopic surgery is a procedure our team uses to diagnose and treat problems within your joint. It’s minimally invasive, meaning you only need a few tiny incisions, instead of one large incision.

To perform an arthroscopy, the team uses a specialized instrument called an arthroscope. This device has a light source and camera at the end of a long, thin scope. 

The camera is connected to a screen in the operating room. This allows our team to see the inside of your joint when the arthroscope is inserted.

If the team gets into your joint and finds a problem that’s fixable, they use small surgical instruments to repair or remove any damaged tissues. The team takes pictures of the inside of your joint so you can see them at your follow-up appointment.

Once the procedure is finished, the team closes up the tiny incisions and covers them with a dressing. You’re taken to the recovery room while you wake up from the anesthesia. In most cases, you can go home the same day.

The five biggest benefits of arthroscopy

There are so many benefits to having arthroscopic surgery over traditional open surgery. Because it’s minimally invasive, it boasts several advantages. Here are five:

1. Faster recovery time

Typically, the recovery after arthroscopic surgery is much faster than after other forms of surgery. This is due to the smaller incisions, less pain, and minimal tissue damage. Your recovery does depend on the severity of your condition and what was fixed in your joint.

2. Smaller incisions

During arthroscopic surgery, the team needs to make only a few small incisions in your joint. One is for the arthroscope, while the others are for surgical instruments to fix damage in your joint.

3. Lower risk of infection

Because the surgery requires just the tiny incisions in your joint, you have significantly less risk of infection; there’s less area for bacteria to enter into your body.

4. Less pain after surgery

There’s minimal tissue trauma during arthroscopic surgery. Because of this, you usually have much less pain than you would with a large incision, which causes significant tissue damage around the joint.

5. Less scarring

Because the surgery is minimally invasive and disrupts less tissue, the team is able to keep scarring at a minimum.

Are you a good candidate?

At Peninsula Orthopedic Associates, the team uses arthroscopic surgery for various orthopedic conditions and injuries. The team carefully evaluates your condition and uses imaging studies to determine if arthroscopic surgery is a good treatment option for you.

Our team can use arthroscopic surgery on several joints in your body. If you’ve suffered an injury or have chronic pain in one of the following joints, arthroscopic surgery can help:

• Shoulders
• Knees
• Wrists
• Ankles
• Elbows
• Hips

There are a lot of conditions that can be fixed through arthroscopic surgery. For example, if you’ve suffered an ACL injury or cartilage tear, arthroscopic surgery allows those tissues to heal efficiently.

Loose bone or cartilage can be removed, and tendons and ligaments repaired through arthroscopic incisions. This allows you to get back to your everyday activities more quickly and with less pain than other forms of surgery.

If you’d like to learn more about the arthroscopic procedures our team offers, call our office in Daly City, California, today, or book an appointment online with one of our doctors now.