Elbow arthroscopy is a technique for the accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of major elbow diseases. It involves the introduction of a thin camera and instruments just 4 mm in diameter into the joint through small incisions in the skin. It allows the visualization of the inside of the elbow in its entirety and on large screens, and to perform surgical interventions of great precision.
What is elbow arthroscopy used for?
It is used to diagnose the main elbow ailments: sports, traumatic or degenerative injuries, as well as inflammatory (autoimmune) and infectious diseases and some tumor or pseudotumor lesions. This technique can effectively treat epicondylitis, osteoarthritis, elbow stiffness due to multiple causes, inflammatory arthritis and also some joint fractures, among other very common diseases that greatly affect the quality of life of the people who suffer from them.
What does arthroscopy contribute with respect to other techniques?
First of all, the injuries caused by the procedure are minimal. The skin wounds are barely one centimeter; and there is no damage to muscles, ligaments and tendons, since the instruments are placed between these structures, respecting them at all times. The surgery is performed inside the joint cavity, through which a continuous stream of serum is circulated to wash the joint and prevent potentially aggressive agents such as a skin microorganism, heat or the movement of the instruments from causing any local damage. Therefore, this technique avoids the pain and complications of the large wounds of conventional surgery, enabling the operated person to return home the same day of the intervention, moving and using the elbow, without the need to depend on other people during the postoperative period.
Secondly, it allows the visualization of the joint on large screens, enlarging the structures being worked on. The image provided is like the one the surgeon would have if he were very small and inside the elbow, with a complete view all around him as he “walks” through the four rooms or compartments that make up this unique joint. The advanced technology of the optics and instruments used allows a highly precise and efficient work, reaching places where it would be risky or very traumatic to access by conventional open surgery.
Is there any risk?
Elbow arthroscopy requires a high degree of super-specialization in order to perform a safe and complication-free surgery. Its execution requires a precise knowledge of the anatomy; the location of the nerves and blood vessels that pass through the elbow to give life to the hand, as well as the muscular, tendon and ligament structures, must be mastered in order to protect them from the instruments. Therefore, this procedure is performed by elbow specialists, who have undergone specific training and many hours of training, allowing them to orient themselves correctly inside the joint and perform the procedure in a safe and effective manner.
How is the recovery?
The operated person usually leaves the operating room with the arm in a sling and a soft bandage. Elbow arthroscopy is usually performed with local anesthetics that are administered in the path of the nerves leaving the neck, providing a postoperative period free of severe pain. During the hours that this anesthesia lasts, a sling is worn until the mobility and sensitivity of the limb is recovered, at which time it can be removed and the shoulder, elbow, wrist and fingers can begin to move, and the hand on the operated side can be used for self-care (grooming, dressing and feeding). The bandage is usually removed 3-4 days after the operation, at which time the wounds can be wetted in the shower. The person who has undergone this operation does not have a fragile elbow, and can progress in the type and intensity of the activity he/she performs as the discomfort subsides. Depending on the reasons for the surgery, the recovery period and the performance of exercises and physiotherapy will be adapted under the instructions and recommendations of your elbow surgeon.