Hand and Wrist Arthroscopy

What is hand and wrist arthroscopic surgery?

There are many outpatient wrist and hand arthroscopy options that enable patients to return home just hours after a procedure due to smaller incisions, less swelling and quicker recovery times. Arthroscopic surgery is a minimally invasive method of diagnosing and treating wrist and hand problems. During arthroscopic surgery, the orthopedic surgeon will create a very small incision and insert a small fiber optic instrument called an arthroscope, which is equipped with a miniaturized video camera, to enable the surgeon to see inside the joint without making larger incisions into the muscle and soft tissue. The camera will provide a magnified, high-resolution image of the joint projected onto a monitor in the operating suite. Once this is done, your hand or wrist surgeon can see the affected area and treat the condition using very small instruments inserted through one or more additional small incisions.

Diagnostic arthroscopy is generally considered more accurate than the commonly used nonsurgical studies such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Using the arthroscope, your orthopedic surgeon can carefully analyze the abnormalities and take incisive action to remedy them. In addition, after identifying a problem, doctors are often able to treat it immediately.

Conditions that can be treated using arthroscopic surgery include:

• Arthritis of the hand or wrist
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Chronic wrist pain
• Dislocations
• Wrist fractures / distal radius fracture ( scaphoid bone fracture)
• Ganglion cysts
• Ligament tears such as a triceps tear
• Removal of inflamed tissue that is causing pain and joint damage
• Triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC) tears

If you and your doctor decide upon arthroscopic surgery, it will most likely be performed as an outpatient procedure. Hoag Orthopedic Institute implements state-of-the-art operating room equipment in order to facilitate procedures such as arthroscopic surgery. As a part of Hoag Orthopedic Institute’s commitment to a greater standard of service, you will find an impressive one-to-one or one-to-two nurse to patient ratio in outpatient surgery. The quality of care at our Orange County orthopedic facilities is one of the reasons top notch orthopedic surgeons, recognized for expertise in minimally invasive surgery, have aligned their practices with Hoag Orthopedic Institute.

Take the First Step Towards a Pain Free Future

The orthopedic surgeons at Hoag Orthopedic Institute are recognized as leaders in the field of wrist and hand surgery. We perform many of these procedures at our convenient outpatient surgery locations. When you schedule your arthroscopic surgery, we will make sure to walk you through the process and provide all the information you need for pre and post-operative matters.

The entire Hoag Orthopedic Institute team, from doctors to surgical techs and physical therapists, is dedicated to safety, pain management, and achieving the optimal outcome for our patients. Each surgery requires different periods of immobilization, dressing changes, and wound care. Your doctor will discuss the specifics of your post-operative recovery with you prior to surgery and will follow up after surgery to discuss physical therapy and activity guidelines.

Ready to set up an appointment? Start now by finding an orthopedic surgeon specializing in hand and wrist treatments.