Arthroscopic Surgery

Knoxville’s Best Choice for Arthroscopic Surgery

Arthroscopic Surgery Specialty

Arthroscopic Surgery

Arthroscopic surgery (AS) is a less invasive surgical technique that allows your surgeon to diagnose and treat your orthopedic joint condition.

All of our Tennessee Orthopaedic Clinics surgeons are trained in and use arthroscopy as part of their surgical practice. Most often used to repair damage to the knee, hip, wrist, ankle, or shoulder joints, arthroscopy eliminates the need for large incisions and longer recovery times for our patients.

Preparing for The Procedure

Before performing an arthroscopy, your orthopedic surgeon will conduct a physical examination, x-rays, and an MRI scan of your joint. Once your surgery is scheduled, you can take the following steps to help assure a successful outcome and facilitate your recovery:

  1. Prepare your home for post-operative recuperation by removing any trip hazards. These include throw rugs, cords, and any other tripping hazards. You want to limit stair usage, so keep frequently used objects on the main floor.
  2. Make an appointment with your primary care doctor for a pre-operative physical examination to confirm your health before your arthroscopy. In addition to a physical exam, the physician may prescribe an electrocardiogram (ECG) and blood tests. Discuss any pre-existing conditions that could cause difficulties before or after surgery. These medical conditions may raise the risk of surgical complications:
    • Pre-existing cardiac or pulmonary condition
    • Obesity
    • Recent or ongoing ailment
    • Diabetes
    • Bleeding disorders
    • Smoking

The surgical dressings may be removed the following morning after the operation. It takes between four and six weeks for the joint to recover, and a physical therapy rehabilitation program may be prescribed to expedite recovery and protect future joint function.

WHAT IS ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERY?

This surgical procedure is used to assess, diagnose, and treat problems inside a joint. A surgeon inserts a tiny camera with a light called an arthroscope into a small incision in your skin. The arthroscope is used to see inside the joint and look for damage, inflammation, tears, and other issues to find what’s causing the source of your symptoms. In another tiny incision in the same area, the surgeon will insert miniaturized surgical instruments no larger than a pencil into the same incision to repair the damage.

ARTHROSCOPIC SURGERY IS PREFERRED OVER OPEN SURGERY

AS is the more modern and preferred incarnation of open surgery. In traditional open surgery, a surgeon would make a large incision and open the joint up to see inside. This larger incision typically means a longer recovery time and greater pain and stiffness post-surgery. Patients prefer it because it causes less scarring, less pain, and offers a faster recovery than open surgery.

KNEE ARTHROSCOPY SURGICAL PROCEDURE

Tennessee Orthopaedic Clinic surgeons perform arthroscopic knee surgery (AKS) on regular patients for patients in and around Knoxville and East Tennessee. AKS can be used to treat a variety of knee ailments, such as torn ACL, torn PCL, torn meniscus, damaged cartilage, fractures of the knee bones, and more.

SHOULDER ARTHROSCOPY SURGICAL PROCEDURE

Arthroscopic shoulder surgery is typically the preferred method of treating a variety of shoulder joint conditions, including rotator cuff repair, ligament repair, removal of damaged or inflamed cartilage, and treatment of recurring shoulder dislocation.

 

ARTHROSCOPIC HIP SURGERY

Though not as common as AKS or shoulder surgery, arthroscopic hip surgery is recommended to treat various conditions of the hip including femoroacetabular impingement, hip dysplasia, snapping hip syndrome, synovitis, and some infections of the hip joint.

We provide our patients with More Locations and Convenient Care in East Tennessee, including Knoxville, Oak Ridge, Lenoir City and Sevierville.

Our ArthroscopY Surgeons

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