Arthroscopy

During arthroscopic surgery, a pencil-sized instrument with a tiny lens and lighting system is inserted by an orthopaedic surgeon into the patient’s skin to magnify and illuminate the structures inside the joint. Fibre optics are used to send light to the end of the arthroscope, which is placed into the joint.

Instead of making the bigger incision required for open surgery, the surgeon can view the inside of the joint through this little incision by connecting the arthroscope to a tiny camera. The camera attached to the arthroscope displays the image of the joint on a video monitor, allowing the surgeon to look, for example, throughout the knee. This lets the surgeon see the cartilage, ligaments, and under the kneecap. The surgeon can determine the amount or type of injury and then repair or correct the problem, if it is necessary.