Arthroscopy Specialists in Carrollton, GA
Our pain management team understands that chronic pain can drastically affect your quality of life. Our pain management specialist will work with our orthopaedic surgeons, physiatrists, and your primary care provider to assess your condition and create a treatment plan specifically for you. For more information, please contact our office at (770) 834-0873 and schedule an appointment today!
About the Arthroscopy Procedure
Although the experience varies depending on why you're having the procedure and which joint is involved, some aspects of arthroscopy are fairly standard.
How Is Arthroscopy Performed?
Arthroscopic surgery, although much easier in terms of recovery than "open" surgery, still requires the use of anesthetics and special equipment in a hospital operating room or outpatient surgical suite. You will be given a general, spinal, or a local anesthetic, depending on the joint or suspected problem.
A small incision (about the size of a buttonhole) will be made to insert the arthroscope. Several other incisions may be made to see other parts of the joint or insert other instruments.
When indicated, corrective surgery is performed with specially designed instruments that are inserted into the joint through accessory incisions. Initially, arthroscopy was simply a diagnostic tool for planning standard open surgery. With the development of better instrumentation and surgical techniques, many conditions can be treated arthroscopically.
Some problems associated with arthritis also can be treated using
arthroscopy. Several procedures may combine arthroscopic and standard surgery, including:
- Rotator cuff surgery
- Repair or resection of torn cartilage (meniscus) from knee or shoulder
- Reconstruction of anterior cruciate ligament in knee
- Removal of inflamed lining (synovium) in knee, shoulder, elbow, wrist, ankle
- Release of carpal tunnel
- Repair of torn ligaments
- Removal of loose bone or cartilage in knee, shoulder, elbow, ankle, wrist.
After arthroscopic surgery, the small incisions will be covered with a dressing. Patients will be moved from the operating room to a recovery room, and will usually require little or no pain medications for their discomfort.
Before being discharged, you will be given instructions about care for your incisions, what activities you should avoid, and which exercises you should do to aid your recovery. During the follow-up visit with one of our orthopaedic specialists, the surgeon will inspect your incisions; remove sutures (if present) and discuss your physical rehabilitation program.
The amount of surgery and recovery time needed will depend on the complexity of the patient's condition. Occasionally, during arthroscopy, the surgeon may discover that the injury or disease cannot be treated adequately with arthroscopy alone. The extensive "open" surgery may be performed while the patient is still anesthetized, or at a later date after they have discussed the findings with their surgeon.
What Are the Possible Complications?
Although uncommon, complications do occur occasionally during or following arthroscopy. Infection, phlebitis (blood clots of a vein), excessive swelling or bleeding, damage to blood vessels or nerves, and instrument breakage are the most common complications, but occur in far less than 1 percent of all arthroscopic procedures.
What Are the Advantages?
Although arthroscopic surgery has received a lot of public attention because it is used to treat well-known athletes, it is an extremely valuable tool for all orthopaedic patients and is generally easier on the patient than "open" surgery. Most patients have their arthroscopic surgery as an outpatient procedure so that they are able to return home several hours after the surgery.
What Is Recovery Like After Arthroscopy?
The small puncture wounds take several days to heal. The operative dressing can usually be removed the morning after surgery and adhesive strips can be applied to cover the small healing incisions.
Although the puncture wounds are small and pain in the joint that underwent arthroscopy is minimal, it takes several weeks for the joint to maximally recover. A specific activity and rehabilitation program may be suggested to speed your recovery along and protect future joint function.
It is not unusual for patients to go back to work or school or resume daily activities within a few days. Athletes and others who are in good physical condition may in some cases return to athletic activities within a few weeks. Remember, though, that people who have arthroscopy can have many different diagnoses and preexisting conditions, so each patient's arthroscopic surgery is unique to that person. Recovery time will reflect that individuality.
Arthroscopic Surgery near Jonesville GA
With access to supreme sub specialty care and state-of-the-art diagnostic technology, patients of the Carrollton Orthopaedic Clinic can return to an active lifestyle much more quickly than they might expect after arthroscopic surgery. Please call 770-834-0873 to schedule an appointment with one of our board-certified physicians.