Ankle arthroscopy (large volume)

Ankle arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure, used to diagnose and treat a range of ankle conditions. Arthroscopy provides the possibility to: 1) assess the defects of joint surfaces, type and scope of damage to the tendons and ligaments; 2) choose the optimum treatment (reconstruction or fixation of tendons and ligaments, removal of free bodies, foreign bodies and bone spurs, tunneling of joint defect, transplantation of cartilage tissue, synovectomy; 3) Do a cartilage biopsy. Arthroscopic surgery can have a quicker recovery time than traditional open surgery.

During the surgery:

The surgery is usually performed under spinal or regional anesthesia. The surgery is done using an arthroscope, a pencil-sized optic device connected to a video camera, allowing the surgeon to observe all his moves on the screen. Standard incisions are made in the joint for arthroscopy. The arthroscope is inserted into the joint through a 0.5-cm to 1-cm-long incision. The joint is inspected and the necessary diagnostic or treatment procedures are done. Then, the arthroscope is taken out and the surgical wounds are sutured and bandaged with sterile bandages with antiseptics.

After the surgery:

After the surgery, cold applications may be used, symptomatic treatment with analgesics or preventive treatment with antibiotics may be prescribed, and, at times, the fluid accumulated in the tissues surrounding the operated joint might be extracted with a syringe.