Arthroscopic Surgery

Rely on the dedicated medical team at the Charleston Institute for Advanced Orthopedics to receive unparalleled diagnosis and treatment for your painful and persistent joint problems. Our experienced surgeons skillfully execute arthroscopic surgery to help return you to a full range of motion.

This surgery can range in length from 30 minutes to 2 hours. In most cases, it can be performed as an outpatient procedure, meaning you can go home the same day. It is necessary to arrange for transportation because local or general anesthesia will be administered before the surgery takes place. During this procedure, 2 to 4 small incisions are made, and a small tube fitted with a tiny camera is inserted. This is called an arthroscope and it allows for the inside of your joint to be transmitted to a video monitor. From here, we can assess the joint and repair certain types of damage.

Arthroscopy is minimally invasive and less painful than traditional open surgery which decreases the recovery time. Depending on the type and extent of the damage, it may still be necessary to proceed with open surgery. Trust that our team is with you every step of the way with the goal of achieving the best possible outcome to improve your mobility and comfort.

Each knee features two menisci. The meniscus is a soft piece of c-shaped cartilage responsible for providing necessary cushion and stability to the joint, as well as protecting the bones from wearing down. A tear in the meniscus is the most common cartilage injury that occurs in the knee. There are different types of meniscus tears and some of them will not heal without treatment.

Your shoulder connects your arm to your body and each shoulder is composed of three primary bones, two joints, as well as tendons and muscles. There are many different potential injuries that shoulders are susceptible to sustaining. Our surgeons are skilled at assessing and diagnosing the damage using arthroscopy. From there, the best course of treatment can be determined which may include arthroscopic surgery.

Your shoulder joint is surrounded by a group of muscles and tendons called the rotator cuff. The rotator cuff is also necessary because it helps to lift and rotate the arm. When a tear happens in this area, it can make simple tasks like brushing your hair or putting on clothing problematic due to the pain and discomfort the action causes. Tears can be the result of acute injury or because of natural degeneration due to age. The earlier a rotator cuff tear can be treated the better because the tear will only get worse. Nonsurgical treatment that includes rest, physical therapy, and steroid injections may be sufficient; however, surgery may be the best option for certain injuries or for persistent pain.

We use arthroscopic surgery to diagnose and treat torn ligaments. Ligaments are connective tissue that surround your joints and attach bone to bone. Experiencing a tear in the ligament is a common sports injury, although it can occur from other causes as well. Treatment for a torn ligament depends on the severity and location. In some instances, surgery may be necessary to replace the damaged ligament with a piece of healthy tendon.

Arthroscopy is used to examine the inside of the hip joint in order to diagnose and treat hip pain. Some common hip injuries and conditions that can be repaired using arthroscopic surgery include:

Before proceeding with arthroscopic surgery, we not only assess your symptoms but also understand your medical history. We will evaluate your range of motion and review all imaging including X-Rays, CT Scans, and MRIs.

You deserve to live life without chronic pain or discomfort due to joint injuries. Allow our expert surgeons to help guide you towards achieving a better quality of life. Contact us to schedule an appointment for a consultation.