At Health in Motion, we believe in exhausting all treatment options before recommending that our patients go under the knife and subject themselves to the risks that come with surgery. One treatment alternative that we find to be highly effective and low risk, is arthroscopy. But what is arthroscopy exactly
Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive, keyhole procedure, used to diagnose and treat joint problems. It is performed under local, general, or spinal anaesthetic, and involves inserting a thin metal tube into tiny incisions in the skin, and above the joint under examination.
This tube, called an arthroscope, is connected to a light source and video camera, which relays images to a monitor so that the orthopaedic surgeon can see what’s going on. The size of the arthroscope varies depending on which joint is being examined. For small joints, such as wrists, the scope can be as small as two millimetres!
Surgical instruments that will be used to repair the injury are inserted through another small hole, close to the one used for the arthroscope.
The procedure can also be used to aspirate the joint (withdraw fluid). Thereafter, it’s analysed to help provide additional information in situations where a simple visual diagnosis wasn’t possible.
Sports such as golf, tennis or swimming, that require repetitive movement of the arms, can cause long-term conditions such as ‘tennis elbow’ or a Glenoid Labrum Tear for example – these types of injuries can cause long term damage if not treated straight away. When it comes to more physical sports such as rugby, those once-off, high-impact injuries can lead to dislocated shoulders and rotator cuff tears, which should also be treated as soon as possible. As a sports doctor, Sachin is experienced in treating these common athletic injuries and has an excellent track record for the fast recovery of his patients.
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