Arthroscopy

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Overview

Arthroscopy (ahr-THROS-kuh-pee) is a procedure for diagnosing and treating joint problems. A surgeon inserts a narrow tube attached to a fiber-optic video camera through a small incision — about the size of a buttonhole. The view inside your joint is transmitted to a high-definition video monitor.

Arthroscopy allows the surgeon to see inside your joint without making a large incision. Surgeons can even repair some types of joint damage during arthroscopy, with pencil-thin surgical instruments inserted through additional small incisions.

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Doctors & Departments
Aug. 19, 2022
Print
  1. AskMayoExpert. Arthroscopic knee surgery. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2017.
  2. Arthroscopy. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. https://www.orthoinfo.org/en/treatment/arthroscopy. Accessed July 9, 2018.
  3. Azar FM, et al. Arthroscopy. In: Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 13th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier; 2017. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed July 9, 2018.
  4. Knee arthroscopy. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. https://www.orthoinfo.org/en/treatment/knee-arthroscopy. Accessed July 9, 2018.
  5. Frequently asked questions about surgical site infections. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/hai/ssi/faq_ssi.html. Accessed July 9, 2018.

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Arthroscopy