Orthopedic surgery pioneered in the early 1950s by Dr. Masaki Watanabe of Japan to perform minimally invasive cartilage surgery and reconstructions of torn ligaments. Arthroscopy allows patients to recover from the surgery in a matter of days, rather than the weeks to months required by conventional, 'open' surgery. It is a very popular technique. Knee arthroscopy is one of the most common operations performed by orthopedic surgeons today and is often combined with meniscectomy or chondroplasty. The majority of upper extremity outpatient orthopedic procedures are now performed arthroscopically. Arthroplasty is an orthopedic surgery where the articular surface of a musculoskeletal joint is
Wrist arthroscopy aspiration of the ganglion with or without injection of a steroid. In some cases the ganglia are associated with serious loss of wrist function or weakness in the affected finger, which makes a surgical intervention highly indicated. Resection of dorsal ganglion are still widely treated with open surgery. However, recent studies show that treatment with an arthroscopic intervention is a reasonable alternative. Arthroscopic intervention has the advantages of smaller incisions, faster recovery of wrist function and less pain postoperative. Overall outcome of arthroscopy is not superior to the outcome in open surgery. Recurrence rates and final wrist function are similar.