- Arthroscopy: indications
- Arthroscopy: preparation for the examination
- Arthroscopy: the course of the examination
- Arthroscopy: possible complications
Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!
Arthroscopy is an examination that allows you to see a joint from the inside. Arthroscopy, of the available diagnostic methods, provides the most information. During arthroscopy, a sample of the synovial fluid or tissue fragments can be taken for examination. If any abnormalities are found, it is possible to extend the diagnostic arthroscopy to the therapeutic one.
Diagnostic arthroscopyallows the doctor to view the joint from the inside. Arthroscopy of the knee and scapulo-shoulder joints is the most common.
Arthroscopy: indications
- joint injuries
- instability of movements in the joints
- intra-articular fractures
- rheumatoid arthritis
- degenerative changes
- presence of foreign bodies in the pond
- tumors within the joints
Arthroscopy: preparation for the examination
Before arthroscopy, the doctor orders imaging examinations of the joint - it may be ultrasound, X-ray, computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. In addition, due to the need to administer anesthesia, it is necessary to perform basic blood tests, ECG, and chest X-ray. Depending on the method of anesthesia, it may be necessary to refrain from eating and drinking for at least 6 hours. Detailed instructions should be provided by the examining doctor or anesthetist.
Arthroscopy: the course of the examination
Arthroscopy is performed in a hospital under local or general anesthesia. The test takes several dozen minutes. The doctor places you in a supine position, sometimes with the limb slightly raised and bent at the joint. She wraps the surface of the skin around the joint under examination with surgical drapes and then rinses it with a disinfectant.
If there is a need for surgery, the doctor uses special tools inserted into the joint independently of the arthroscope.
In order to insert the arthroscope into the joint, the doctor makes small, several millimeters, incisions through which he introduces special surgical tools and a miniature camera, thanks to which he can observe his actions inside the joint on the monitor. It also allows him to assess the condition of the joint - articular cartilage, synovium, ligaments, muscle tendonscrossing the pond and other characteristic structures.
Arthroscopy: possible complications
After the examination, strictly follow the doctor's instructions. Arthroscopy is a fairly safe method, it carries less risk than classic operations. Possible complications after arthroscopy include infection, bleeding into a joint, damage to joint components, weakness or loss of sensation in the skin surrounding the joint.