Arthroscopic Surgery (Wrist)
Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive technique of visualizing the inside of a joint that will allow your surgeon to diagnose and treat many problems of the wrist through a series of very small incisions. Because the incisions used with wrist arthroscopy are smaller and disrupt less soft tissue than conventional open surgery, pain, swelling and stiffness are minimized and recovery is often faster.
Wrist arthroscopy allows your surgeon to see the cartilage surfaces of all bones in the wrist and better evaluate the ligaments between the various bones of the wrist. Frequently after an injury, pain, clicks, and swelling can be signs of an internal problem in the wrist. Arthroscopy is often the best way of determining the damage that has been done to the ligaments, cartilage, and bone.
Wrist Arthroscopy
When wrist problems occur, specialized equipment is available for wrist arthroscopy for diagnosing and treatment. Often arthroscopy is used to aid in the minimizing the number of fractures to the bones of the wrist.
A small camera is fixed at the end of a narrow fiber-optic tube which is inserted through a small incision in the skin directly into the back of the wrist joint. The camera lens magnifies and projects the small structures in the wrist onto a television monitor, allowing for more accurate diagnosis. Several small incisions are used to allow your surgeon to place the camera in different positions to see different structures inside the joint as well as to place various small instruments into the wrist joint to help diagnose and treat various problems in the wrist. The wrist is usually distracted and fluid is infused into the joint to expand the joint and allow improved visualization during the procedure. Sometimes wrist arthroscopy is combined with open procedures.
After Surgery
After your arthroscopic surgery you will be placed into a wrist splint that will allow full mobility of your fingers. The period of immobilization will vary depending on what was performed at the time of surgery. Elevating your hand is important to prevent excessive swelling and pain after your surgery.
As with any surgery, wrist arthroscopy has risks. These include infection, and potential damage to nerves and tendons which is usually less than 1%. Stiffness might need to be addressed through post-operative rehabilitation. Wrist arthroscopy is not appropriate for all wrist conditions and is dependent on your surgeon's training, expertise and comfort level.
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