If you or someone close to you has suffered an internal injury to one of their appendages, meaning an arm or leg then you may have heard the word "arthroscopy" recently. So what is arthroscopy or arthroscopic surgery? Perhaps you already understand a little about it but are interested in being completely filled in.
In Layman's Terms
In layman's terms, arthroscopic surgery is surgery that is done usually on the joints and tendons of the arms and legs that uses and arthroscope. An arthroscope is a long slim, hollow mechanical device that is about as big around as a pencil that has a lighted tip on the end.
More than One Item of Arthroscopy Equipment May be Used
More than one arthroscope can be used during arthroscopic surgery but in an optimal case only one is used. It will be inserted through a small incision in the skin that only requires a few stitches to close. The obvious benefit of arthroscopic surgery over conventional surgery is that it is far less intrusive, in that it doesn't involve a lot of cutting and subsequent healing.
A Number of Devices May Be Used
There are a number of devices that can be inserted through the hollow arthroscope which is the main piece of arthroscopic equipment that is used during arthroscopy. The tasks that are needed to be performed during the surgery will determine which piece of arthroscopy equipment will be used at any one given time.
Both Local and General Anesthesia are Commonly Used
Both local and general anesthesia are commonly used during this type of surgery, depending on the situation. Also, while in minor cases a patient can go home in an hour or so following surgery, in more extreme cases a patient may require some hospitalization to recover properly. Also, a doctor may want to keep a patient in a hospital to keep an eye out for complications such as infection.
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