Wrist Arthroscopy

Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure, done to diagnose and treat various conditions of the joints. For diagnosis, wrist arthroscopy allows your hand surgeon to get a better view into the joint so that that treatment may be planned. For surgical treatment, arthroscopy enables your hand surgeon to see inside the joint without making large incisions into the delicate muscle and tissue of the hand. In this way, various problems inside the joint may be repaired minimally invasively, through tiny incisions.

Why might wrist arthroscopy be needed?

The wrist is a complex joint, made up of many bones, connected to various ligaments via the tendons. Arthroscopic surgery uses an arthroscope, fitted with a camera at the end to diagnose multiple conditions of the wrist, and can be used to perform surgery to treat chronic wrist pain, carpal tunnel release, wrist fractures, ganglion cysts, ligament tears and remove infected or diseased tissues associated with arthritis.

How is arthroscopy done?

During the procedure, an arthroscope is used. This is a thin tube-like tool with a small camera fixed to the end of it. Through tiny incisions in the wrist, this arthroscope is inserted into the joint. This provides valuable images of the internal structures in the wrist, from various angles, on a television screen for better viewing.

Arthroscopic surgery requires only the hand and arm to be numbed (regional anaesthesia), but depending on the findings, general anaesthesia may be used for if complex surgery is needed.

Your surgeon will advise you on how to care for your hand and wrist post-surgery. In some cases, you will be advised to work with the hand therapists as part of recovery.