Arthroscopy
What is Arthroscopy?
- Also called key hole or minimally invasive surgery, arthroscopic surgery is a simple day stay procedure which involves Dr Herald using a special instrument known as an arthroscope.
- The arthroscope allows Dr Herald to look into your joint (shoulder, elbow or knee) via a very small incision (usually less than 1cm) without having to open the joint up.
- With fibre-optic light and a magnifying glass, the arthroscope provides a very accurate view of your joint to determine what needs a clean up, repair or reconstruction.
- A miniscule camera simultaneously transmits images of your joint to a TV monitor for Dr Herald to view.
What conditions is arthroscopy used to diagnose and treat?
Arthroscopy is useful for many acute sports and work injuries including
- Shoulder Arthritis
- Shoulder Instability
- Shoulder stiffness
- Subacromial Decompression (shoulder impingement)
- Frozen Shoulder
- Removal of loose bodies floating around the joint
What are the benefits?
- Day surgery, so there’s no need to stay in hospital for lengthy periods
- Optimal recovery due to less invasive procedures
- Less risk of infection or after care issues