Lo que hay que saber de la artroscopia

Arthroscopy is a type of endoscopy performed by the specialist in Traumatology and Orthopedic Surgery and serves both to diagnose and treat a pathology or injury of any joint (shoulder, knee, hip, etc.), analyze and treat the anatomical structures affected (cartilage, meniscus, ligaments, tendons, etc.).

What is arthroscopy for?

This technique allows the doctor to analyze the joint, perform cleaning, extirpations or different surgical interventions, among which are: 

• Section, remove, suture or transplant the meniscus. 
• Repair injured ligaments (Knee Cruciate Ligament). 
• Repair a damaged cartilage. 
• Suture a tendon, ligament, meniscus or labrum. 
• Resect a bone (in the case of osteophytes and osteoarthritis). 
• Remove a foreign body

What is arthroscopy?

Arthroscopy is performed through regional, locoregional or general anesthesia, since two incisions are needed: one to introduce the arthroscope and another for work tools.

Once the arthroscope is inserted, a small rigid tube of 4 mm connected to a camera that allows the surgeon to visualize the joint on a screen, small instruments, such as tweezers, scissors or strawberries are used to aspirate, dry or clean the treated area.

What advantages does arthroscopy offer?

Arthroscopy offers several advantages over other surgical techniques in traumatology: 

• Fast and painless intervention. 
• Short hospitalization time: between 6 and 8 hours after the intervention. 
• Rapid recovery: the patient must wear a bandage or knee brace for seven days. 
• Aesthetics: the scars are smaller than in other techniques.

Objectives: 

• Heal the joint with the smallest incision possible. 
• Anatomical repair 
• Assess associated injuries. 
• Associated with Infiltrations (Corticoids, Platelet Rich Plasma or Hyaluronic Acid).

What types of arthroscopy exist? 

Arthroscopy is classified according to the treated joint: 

• Knee arthroscopy 
• Shoulder arthroscopy 
• Hip arthroscopy 
• Elbow arthroscopy 
• Wrist arthroscopy 
• Ankle arthroscopy 
• Endoscopy

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