While the invention of the X-ray machine proved helpful to the orthopaedic surgeon, arthroscopy was a game changer with benefits for patients and surgeons. Initially, it was a simple instrument developed by a Japanese surgeon in 1918 as an improved method to explore the internal details of a joint without exposing it. Since then, it has evolved from an invaluable diagnostic tool to provide a revolutionary new approach to joint surgery.
That pioneering step by Dr Keni Takagi resulted in a somewhat rudimentary device produced by modifying a cystoscope, an instrument used to examine the interior of the urinary bladder. Nevertheless, his efforts led to a series of improvements that, by embracing emerging technologies like fibre optics and video recording, have culminated in today’s more compact and sophisticated instruments.
An arthroscope is a slender, tubular structure with a diameter of between four and five millimetres, containing a light source, a system of lenses and a camera. When inserted into a joint through a tiny incision, the camera captures magnified, full-colour images and transmits them via a fibre optic cable. They can be viewed directly through an eyepiece or relayed to a monitor screen.
A surgeon with the appropriate skills and experience can make one or more additional keyhole incisions as portals to insert miniature surgical instruments and perform complex surgery.
Arthroscopy in Minimally Invasive Surgery
The range of surgical procedures that can be undertaken arthroscopically has grown steadily through the efforts of orthopaedic specialists worldwide. Among the more common of these are:
- Repairs to torn ligaments, most often the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
- Removal of loose bone and cartilage particles resulting from traumatic injuries or osteoarthritis
- Surgery on the meniscus, a C-shaped pad of cartilage in the knee that acts as a shock absorber. Routine procedures include repairs to tears, meniscus transplants and partial meniscectomy.
- Minimally invasive procedures can also be employed to treat injuries and other problems involving the hip or shoulder. The most common of these addresses injuries to the rotator cuff, a group of muscles and tendons surrounding the shoulder joint.
However, the most significant achievement made possible by arthroscopy is undoubtedly the total joint replacement. Like all minimally invasive surgery, this procedure offers numerous valuable benefits.
The Benefits of Arthroscopy in Minimally Invasive Procedures
Arthroscopic surgery offers numerous advantages compared to traditional open surgery, leading to better patient outcomes and enhanced efficiency for surgeons. Its benefits include:
- Reduced trauma: The arthroscopic approach causes less damage to the soft tissues surrounding the joint. Consequently, patients experience less bleeding, less scarring, less post-operative pain and a reduced risk of infection.
- Faster recovery: Typically, patients require shorter recovery times than those who have open surgery. The smaller incisions heal faster, so they can resume normal activities earlier. Arthroscopic procedures are often performed in day surgeries, allowing patients to leave soon after.
- Improved outcomes: The high-definition magnified images produced by an arthroscope allow surgeons to make more accurate diagnoses and determine the most appropriate intervention, reducing the risk of errors and improving patient outcomes.
Minimally Invasive Surgery in Pretoria
Pretoria’s Wilgers Life Hospital orthopaedic unit is a leading referral destination for South African and overseas patients seeking arthroscopy and minimally invasive surgery. Please don’t hesitate to contact Dr Jan De Vos, a leading orthopaedic surgeon with vast experience in arthroscopic and arthroplasty surgeries.
