Who wants to undergo surgery? After all, surgeries come with some form of risk and downtime. But surgical approaches and the tools we use are getting better and better, making surgery less invasive and more effective. And there’s less risk and downtime.
Arthroscopic surgeries fall into the category of minimally invasive procedures, and they can help us diagnose and treat joint problems.
Generally speaking, arthroscopy involves small incisions and an arthroscope with a tiny camera. When inserted into the incision, the camera projects an image of the surgical site to a monitor in the operating room. This allows the surgeon to see the area in great detail so they can repair the damage without causing as much trauma to the body.
Dr. Jared Tadje performs arthroscopic surgery at his state-of-the-art facilities in Meridian, Idaho. He’s also published an innovative approach to increasing the strength of arthroscopic repair for knee and shoulder injuries.
In this blog, Dr. Tadje shares four of the pain conditions he treats with arthroscopic surgery at Tadje Orthopaedics.
The rotator cuff includes muscles and tendons in the shoulder that hold the joint in place and give you the ability to reach and lift your arm. It’s also a common location for degeneration and tears, especially from aging, repetitive motions, and falls.
Dr. Tadje uses several different arthroscopic techniques to repair a torn rotator cuff. Sometimes, it involves shaving off bone spurs or repairing tears to the tendons or shoulder muscles.
Regardless of the method or injury, Dr. Tadje performs arthroscopic surgeries as an outpatient procedure, so you can go home the same day.
Believe it or not, once you dislocate your shoulder, it often happens again. This occurs because the shoulder becomes loose, causing it to slip out of place — an issue referred to as chronic shoulder instability.
Dr. Tadje can correct this problem arthroscopically in a few different ways. One approach involves repairing tears to the labrum, or the ring of cartilage surrounding the edge of your shoulder socket.
He can also perform more complex repairs, like filling dents in the joint or worn areas with bone or muscle grafts.
The ACL may be a tough ligament, but it can only handle so much damage. It also takes a lot of abuse holding the knee in place, especially among athletes. It’s not surprising that it’s one of the most common knee injuries, with up to 200,000 occurrences each year.
In most cases, you don’t have to undergo surgery for an ACL tear. But if you want to return to the same activities you did in the past, surgery is the only way to repair this torn ligament, and arthroscopy is highly effective.
During this procedure, Dr. Tadje typically removes the torn ligament and replaces it with another piece of tendon from your body or a deceased donor. Before having your surgery, you need several weeks of physical therapy to provide the best outcomes.
Like ACL tears, the torn meniscus ranks high on the list as one of the most common knee injuries. This tear affects the cushiony piece of cartilage in between your thigh and shin bones. And, like ACL tears, arthroscopic surgery can provide the best outcomes for a torn meniscus.
When performing meniscus repair, Dr. Tadje makes a few small incisions in your knee and examines the tear with the arthroscope. Depending on the injury, he either sews the torn pieces back together or trims and removes the damaged areas, leaving healthy tissue behind.
As you can see, arthroscopic surgery can address numerous pain conditions by repairing damage in minimally invasive ways. And because of the smaller incision, you have fewer risks and a faster recovery time when compared to traditional open surgery requiring a large incision.
Are you curious to see if arthroscopic surgery can help with your pain condition? Contact Tadje Orthopaedics to schedule a consultation with Dr. Tadje by calling 208-515-2654 today.
