Elbow Arthroscopy
Elbow Arthroscopy
Elbow arthroscopy is a minimally invasive technique used by orthopedic surgeons to diagnose and treat a range of conditions affecting the joint. As in other joints, arthroscopy of the elbow involves the use of fiber optics and a tiny camera that is inserted through small incisions or portals. Magnified pictures from the camera are projected onto a television monitor in the operating suite. When the procedure is employed to treat an injured or diseased joint, the orthopedic surgeon inserts miniaturized surgical instruments through an additional portal.
Elbow arthroscopy is used as a diagnostic tool for pain, stiffness, and loss of motion in the joint. Some of the more common diagnoses include:
- adhesions, soft tissue bands that block motion as a result of a previous injury to the elbow, such as a fracture
- contractures, a condition in which the muscle and tendons are abnormally contracted, thereby limiting range of motion, loose bodies, fragments of bone or cartilage that break loose causing pain, catching and locking of the joint, and
- arthritis, a disease that is characterized by the wearing away of cartilage, the tissue that helps bones glide smoothly against each other during movement.