Arthroscopy in India

Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical technique used to diagnose and treat problems inside a joint. A small camera (arthroscope) and thin surgical instruments are inserted through a few small incisions, allowing the surgeon to see and work inside the joint without the larger incision needed for open surgery. It's most commonly performed on the knee and shoulder, though it's also used for the hip, ankle, elbow, and wrist.

What it treats

In the knee, arthroscopy is commonly used for meniscus tears, ACL or other ligament reconstruction, and cleaning out damaged cartilage. In the shoulder, it treats rotator cuff tears, labral tears, and shoulder instability or impingement. The same keyhole approach is used in the hip, ankle, and elbow for similar cartilage, ligament, or soft tissue problems.

Diagnostic vs therapeutic arthroscopy

A purely diagnostic arthroscopy, used to look inside the joint and confirm a diagnosis, is less involved and lower cost. Most patients, however, undergo therapeutic arthroscopy, where the surgeon repairs or reconstructs the damaged tissue in the same sitting, which takes longer and costs more depending on the complexity of the repair.

Why the minimally invasive approach matters

Compared to open surgery, arthroscopy generally means smaller scars, less post-operative pain, a shorter hospital stay, and a faster return to daily activities. Recovery time still depends significantly on what was repaired, a simple meniscus trim recovers much faster than an ACL reconstruction or a rotator cuff repair.