What is Arthroscopic Ankle Joint Cartilage Repair?
Arthroscopic ankle joint cartilage repair is a minimally invasive surgical procedure designed to repair damaged cartilage within the ankle joint using arthroscopic guidance and small incisions. The procedure enables your physician to detect the damaged cartilage and make repairs to your ankle without making large cuts in the skin and tissue as in an open ankle surgery. An arthroscope is a small, fiber-optic instrument consisting of a lens, light source, and video camera. The camera projects an image of the inside of the joint onto a large screen monitor, allowing the surgeon to look for any damage, assess the type of injury and repair the problem.
Anatomy of the Ankle Joint
The ankle joint connects the leg with the foot and provides free movement to the foot. It is formed by connecting the bones of the lower leg, tibia, and fibula, with the talus, or ankle bone. Articular cartilage is found on the end of bones where they connect to form joints. Cartilage acts as cushioning material and helps in the smooth gliding of bones during movement. An injury to the ankle joint may damage this cartilage which cannot repair itself on its own due to its avascular nature (absence of blood supply). Cartilage can be damaged with increasing age, normal wear and tear, or trauma. Damaged cartilage cannot cushion the joints during movement and the joints may rub over each other causing severe pain and inflammation. This typically leads to the degenerative effects associated with osteoarthritis
Indications for Arthroscopic Ankle Joint Cartilage Repair
Arthroscopic ankle joint cartilage repair is usually indicated for patients when conservative treatment options, such as bracing, physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications, or steroid injections have failed to provide pain relief from cartilage damage. Dr. Richardson may order a computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan for a thorough analysis of the cartilage damage and determine if surgery is the right option for your ankle cartilage injury.
Arthroscopic ankle joint cartilage repair surgery treats the damaged or degenerative cartilage and restores normal ankle function by relieving pain and improving joint mobility with a quicker recovery time and fewer complications than traditional surgery (open ankle surgery).
Preparation for Arthroscopic Ankle Joint Cartilage Repair
Preparation for arthroscopic ankle joint cartilage repair may involve the following steps:
Postoperative Care and Recovery
Benefits of Arthroscopic Ankle Joint Cartilage Repair
Some of the benefits of arthroscopic ankle joint cartilage repair over traditional open ankle surgery include:
- Smaller incisions
- Minimal muscle trauma
- Smaller scars
- Minimal blood loss
- Lower risk of infection
- Less postoperative pain
- Shorter hospital stay
- Faster recovery
- Lower risk of complications associated with open surgery
Risks and Complications
Arthroscopic ankle joint cartilage repair surgery is a relatively safe procedure; however, as with any surgery, some risks and complications may occur, such as the following:
- Infection
- Bleeding
- Postoperative pain
- Damage to surrounding structures
- Stiffness or restricted joint motion