Are you having trouble with your joints and need your doctor to tell you what could be causing the pain? An X-ray may be unable to detect the ongoing issue with your joint. Fret not! With modern orthopedic surgery clifton nj, your doctor can surely diagnose and pinpoint the cause of the joint issue and treat it in one procedure. Arthroscopy surgery looks inside your joints through a small incision without damaging healthy tissue. And if your doctor finds the condition repairable with arthroscopy, they will go for it. The following discussion will give you details you would want to know about this procedure.
Why Would Your Doctor Perform Arthroscopic Surgery?
Your orthopedic surgeon may recommend arthroscopic surgery to help diagnose and treat different conditions affecting your joints. Joint conditions requiring this surgery can happen in your knees, shoulder, elbow, ankle, hip, and wrist. Arthroscopic surgery aims to answer questions that may have remained unanswered from diagnostic imaging tests like X-rays. Your surgeon may also use arthroscopy to treat loose bone fragments, inflammation in your joint linings, ligament tears, joint scarring, and damaged cartilage.
Are There Risks To Performing Arthroscopic Surgery?
Generally, arthroscopy is a safe procedure with little to no complications. However, you may encounter problems that include nerve or tissue damage as your surgeon moves instruments within your joints. You will likely have an infection since your doctor has to make an incision to access your joints. Lastly, though rare, if your procedure lasts more than an hour, you may have an increased risk of blood clots in your lungs or legs.
How Will You Prepare for Arthroscopic Surgery?
Your preparation will depend on the joint your surgeon wishes to examine and treat. Generally, you may have to avoid certain medications and supplements, especially those that increase your risk of bleeding. Your surgeon may also ask you to avoid solid food a few hours before your procedure.
What Happens During Arthroscopic Surgery?
Your surgeon will ask you to lie on a table depending on the procedure you will be having. Next, your surgeon will make a small incision around your joint to allow them to insert the arthroscope. You may have small additional incisions to allow your surgeon to pass surgical instruments for repair as needed during surgery. After the procedure, your surgeon will close the incisions with a few stitches.
What Will Be Your Aftercare Instructions?
You will require a few hours of rest immediately after surgery before your discharge. Your surgeon will then prescribe pain-relieving medications and anti-inflammatories. You will require rest, use ice, compress the treatment area, and elevate your joint daily to help lower swelling. Your surgeon may also recommend physical therapy to help strengthen your muscles while improving joint function.
Arthroscopic surgery allows your surgeon to check inside your joints without making large incisions to diagnose a problem within your joint. The procedure uses an arthroscope, a thin, flexible instrument that will project images of your joint on a screen. During arthroscopic surgery, your surgeon may also perform treatment procedures to repair tears in your cartilage, scarring, and inflammation in your joints. The procedure is minimally invasive, so your recovery will be faster so you can resume regular activities soon. If your doctor says you need this procedure, you have little to worry about because arthroscopy is safe.
