Your Arthroscopic Hand Procedure

Arthroscopic surgery is a widely popular procedure for diagnosing and treating joint problems that uses the technology of a small camera, called an arthroscope. It is especially valuable in accessing problems of the wrist due to the extremely delicate nature of the tiny bones of this joint. Because the arthroscope is so small, your surgeon only needs to make a miniscule incision to insert it in the joint area.

Once the proper method of repairing the joint is established, another incision is made to insert the tools used to shave, trim, cut, stitch or smooth the damaged areas.

The arthroscope records video of the joint, which is displayed on a television monitor, allowing the surgeon maximum access and viewing ability when dealing with the delicate tissue of the joint. With the camera, your surgeon is not only able to diagnose the problem, but to zero in on the movements of the instruments to repair the joint. Common conditions of the wrist that are treated with arthroscopy include: carpal tunnel syndrome, injuries to the triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC), ligament tears, wrist fractures and ganglion cysts.

Arthroscopic hand/wrist surgery is often performed as an outpatient surgery.