Your ankle is an amazing joint. It supports your body weight, allows you to flex and rotate your foot, and allows you to stand, jump, walk, and even dance. When you have an ankle injury, you become acutely aware that your ankle is necessary.
At Ortho 1 Medical Group, our providers see patients with all sorts of ankle issues, from joint instability to arthritis to Achilles tendon tears and everything in between. In many cases, we can provide a treatment plan that doesn’t require surgery, but sometimes surgical intervention is the best way to restore function. When that’s the case, our providers often suggest ankle arthroscopy instead of a more conventional open surgery.
Arthroscopy is a modern, minimally invasive surgical technique. Instead of a large incision, your doctor makes a tiny incision and uses a specialized tool called an arthroscope.
The arthroscope has a tiny camera and light attached, which allows your doctor to see your joint. An arthroscopy can be used to diagnose a problem or to correct numerous ankle issues, including:
If your doctor is correcting a problem, like repairing a ligament tear, they will make a second minimal incision to insert the tools for the repair. The arthroscope continues to show the joint through the first incision while your doctor works through the second one.
Our providers prefer arthroscopic surgery because it offers enormous benefits to you compared to open surgery. Here are just a few:
It may seem counterintuitive, but arthroscopic surgery takes less time than open surgery. Thanks to the camera, your doctor can be very precise and spend much less time suturing your incision(s).
Another reason that an arthroscopic procedure is also faster than an open surgery is that you bleed significantly less during the procedure. Along with speeding up the process, less blood loss means you feel better, too.
Because your incisions are smaller, there’s much less chance that bacteria can enter and cause problems. Your risk of complications other than infection is much lower with arthroscopic surgery than with open surgery.
Another benefit of arthroscopic surgery is that you heal faster. Since your incisions are smaller, they heal more quickly. Also, less tissue is disturbed because the procedure is so precise.
Additionally, smaller incisions mean smaller scars. You might not think of your ankle as a particularly beautiful part of your body, but prominent scars are generally not an improvement. With arthroscopic surgery, your scars are tiny.
Arthroscopic surgery isn’t appropriate in every case, and ultimately, the most crucial element of a treatment plan is that it’s created for your unique situation. At Ortho 1 Medical Group, your specific issues, overall health, age, goals, preferences, and more are considered when your provider suggests a treatment approach.
Schedule an appointment at the most convenient location today to learn whether ankle arthroscopy could solve your ankle problem.
