Explore Your Options for Arthroscopy

Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure to evaluate and treat joint conditions and injuries. You may be eligible for arthroscopy if you have joint pain, swelling, or disability that interferes with your daily life. 

Dignity Health uses state-of-the-art technology to diagnose all types of joint problems. To meet with an orthopedic specialist about arthroscopy in the Bay Area, Find a Doctor online or call (866) 466-1401 for a doctor referral.

Why Arthroscopy is Performed

Your doctor may recommend arthroscopic surgery to get a closer look at a specific joint in your body, such as your ankle, knee, hip, elbow, shoulder or wrist. Arthroscopy may be helpful in treating conditions that haven’t improved with pain medication, anti-inflammatory injections, and physical therapy. 

Your Dignity Health doctor can use arthroscopy to treat:

  • Inflammation caused by conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis
  • Joint infection
  • Loose cartilage or bone fragments
  • Scarring
  • Tears and other damage to ligaments, tendons, and cartilage

The goal of arthroscopic surgery is to relieve pain and restore mobility.

What to Expect: Arthroscopy in the Bay Area

Our surgeons perform arthroscopy in a hospital setting or outpatient surgery center. You’ll have general or regional anesthesia, depending on the location of your incision and the extent of the procedure. Your surgeon uses a thin, flexible tube with a camera on one end, called an arthroscope, to take pictures of the inside of your joint. He or she may take a tissue sample or make repairs.

Arthroscopy lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours. You may spend a few hours recovering before you go home.

Recovery from Arthroscopic Surgery

Your recovery period depends on your joint condition and treatment. You may be back to normal within a week or two, or it may take several months to regain your full range of motion. Your doctor will likely prescribe rest, physical therapy, and supportive devices (slings, braces, or crutches) to keep pressure off your joint while it heals.

Most people who have arthroscopic surgery are able to return to the things they love doing with less pain. Ask your doctor if it’s right for you. To request a doctor referral, call (866) 466-1401.

Dignity Health Bay Area hospitals perform arthroscopic surgery in San Francisco, Santa Cruz, and Redwood City.