What is arthroscopic (keyhole) surgery?
Arthroscopy uses a camera inserted through a small incision to see inside a joint on a high-definition screen. Surgical instruments through 1–2 additional small incisions allow repair, reconstruction or removal of damaged tissue — without the large incision and slow recovery of traditional open surgery.
Procedures performed arthroscopically
- Knee: ACL reconstruction, meniscus repair/trimming, cartilage treatment, loose body removal
- Shoulder: Bankart repair (instability), rotator cuff repair, SLAP repair, subacromial decompression
- Ankle: cartilage lesion treatment, impingement release, loose body removal
- Diagnostic arthroscopy — when imaging is inconclusive, the camera gives a definitive answer
Advantages over open surgery
- Smaller incisions — typically 2–3 cuts of 5 mm each
- Day-care in most cases — home the same or next day
- Less post-operative pain — less tissue damage
- Faster rehabilitation — joints move sooner, muscles recover faster
- Lower infection risk — small wounds close more quickly