Arthroscopy Health Dictionary

Infection in a joint which becomes warm, swollen and sore, with restricted movement. The infectious agent may enter the joint as a result of a penetrating wound or via the bloodstream. The condition is treated by ARTHROTOMY or ARTHROSCOPY, joint irrigation and ANTIBIOTICS. Unless treated, the articular CARTILAGE of the joint is destroyed, resulting in a painful, deformed and sometimes immobile joint. (See ARTHRITIS.)... septic arthritis

A condition of the hip in children, due to death and fragmentation of the epiphysis (or spongy extremity) of the head of the femur. The cause is not known. The disease occurs in the 4–10 year age-group, with a peak between the ages of six and eight; it is ten times more common in boys than girls, and is bilateral in 10 per cent of cases. The initial sign is a lurching gait with a limp, accompanied by pain. Treatment consists of limiting aggressive sporting activity which may cause intact overlying CARTILAGE to loosen. Where there are no mechanical symptoms and MRI scanning shows that the cartilage is intact, only minor activity modi?cation may be necesssary – but for several months or even years. Any breach in the cartilage is dealt with at ARTHROSCOPY by ?xing or trimming any loose ?aps. Eventually the disease burns itself out.... perthes’ disease

A diagnostic technique in which the interior of a damaged joint is X-rayed after injection of a radiopaque solution.

It is being replaced by MRI, ultrasound scanning, and arthroscopy.... arthrography

Fragments of bone, cartilage, or capsule linings within a joint. Loose bodies may occur whenever there is damage to a joint, as in injury, osteoarthritis, or osteochondritis dissecans. The fragments can cause a joint to lock, resulting in severe pain. Gentle manipulation may be required to unlock the joint. If locking occurs frequently, the loose bodies may be removed during arthroscopy or by surgery.... loose bodies

A surgical procedure in which all or part of a damaged meniscus (cartilage disc) is removed from a joint, almost always from the knee. Meniscectomy may be carried out when damage to the meniscus causes the knee to lock or to give way repeatedly. The procedure cures these symptoms and reduces the likelihood of premature osteoarthritis in the joint.

Arthroscopy may be carried out to confirm and locate the damage, and the damaged area removed by instruments passed through the arthroscope.

Alternatively, the meniscus may be removed through an incision at the side of the patella (kneecap).

In either case, there may be an increased risk of osteoarthritis in later life, but this is less than if the damaged meniscus had been left in place.... meniscectomy

Surgery using a rigid endoscope passed into the body through a small incision. Further small openings are made for surgical instruments so that the operation can be performed without a long surgical incision. Minimally invasive surgery may be used for many operations in the abdomen (see laparoscopy), including appendicectomy, cholecystectomy, hernia repair, and many gynaecological procedures. Knee operations (see arthroscopy) are also often performed by minimally invasive surgery.... minimally invasive surgery

Degeneration of a bone just under a joint surface, causing fragments of bone and cartilage to become separated, which may cause the joint to lock. The condition commonly affects the knee and usually starts in adolescence. Symptoms include aching discomfort and intermittent swelling of the affected joint.

If a fragment has not completely separated from the bone, the joint may be immobilized in a plaster cast to allow reattachment. Loose bone or cartilage fragments in the knee are removed during arthroscopy. Disruption to the smoothness of the joint surface increases the risk of osteoarthritis.... osteochondritis dissecans