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5 Benefits of Arthroscopic Surgery

Spine and Orthopedic Center of New Mexico Blog 5 Benefits of Arthroscopic Surgery
5 Benefits of Arthroscopic Surgery

Surgical procedures have come a long way in the last few years, with many becoming minimally invasive. These types of surgeries have several added benefits over traditional open procedures. 

An arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgery for joint pain. When you have joint pain that hasn't been resolved with conservative measures, you may need an arthroscopy to find the problem.

Arthroscopic surgery is one of the many cutting-edge treatments the Spine and Orthopedic Center of New Mexico surgeons offers at our Roswell, New Mexico, office.

What is arthroscopic surgery?

Arthroscopic surgery is a minimally invasive procedure to see the inside of your joints, most commonly the shoulders, knees, hips, wrists, and ankles. It requires anesthesia, but it's usually an outpatient procedure, meaning you can typically go home the same day.

To perform an arthroscopy, we use an arthroscope, a long, thin instrument that contains a camera and light on the end. The arthroscope is connected to a video screen in the operating room, allowing us to see the image of your joint in real time.

During the procedure, we diagnose what's causing your pain or mobility issues, and we can often repair the problem on the spot, including:

After the procedure, we close the incisions and take you to the recovery room. Once you’re awake, we explain your discharge instructions before you can go home.

Five benefits of arthroscopy

There are several significant benefits to arthroscopic surgery over traditional, open surgery, including the following:

1. Faster recovery

We only need to make a few tiny incisions in your skin for the arthroscopy procedure. Less tissue damage to your skin, muscles, and joints means a quicker recovery after your procedure.

2. Minimally invasive

Arthroscopy is minimally invasive, meaning there’s less trauma to your surrounding tissues — instead of one large incision, you only require two or three tiny openings in your skin. Minimally invasive procedures are just as effective as open surgery but safer.

An arthroscopy usually also takes less time than open surgery, so you won’t have to be under anesthesia as long.

3. Small incisions

Because arthroscopic surgery only requires a few small incisions, you’ll have smaller, less conspicuous scars.

4. Less pain

Decreased pain is one of the significant benefits of arthroscopic surgery. With smaller incisions and less tissue damage, you'll experience much less pain after an arthroscopy than a traditional open procedure.

5. Lower risk of complications

Minimally invasive arthroscopic procedures are much less risky than other more invasive surgeries. You have less bleeding, a lower risk of infection, and you're under anesthesia for much less time than in other procedures.

Is arthroscopy right for you?

As with any surgery, our experienced surgeons can decide whether arthroscopic surgery would be a good option for you.

Arthroscopy may be the next step if you've tried physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications, or activity modifications without relief. Arthroscopy addresses the following situations:

Don't suffer from joint pain any longer — call our office in Roswell at 575-623-9101, or book an appointment on our website using our convenient scheduling tool.

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