Arthroscopy is the examination of the interior of a joint by using an arthroscope or "scope" – a flexible, fiber-optic tube with a small camera that is connected to a monitor. This allows a surgeon to see a magnified view of your joint. Specially designed arthroscopic surgical tools are also used to perform different types of minimally invasive knee surgery.
The first arthroscopic surgery techniques emerged in 1980s. HSS performed its first arthroscopic ACL reconstruction surgery in 1985 when other orthopedic surgeons were still doing open surgery. This transformed the field of orthopedics by shortening recovery time and improving outcomes.
Knee arthroscopy and other minimally invasive surgeries often result in less pain, minimal scarring and rapid recovery. But not all hospitals achieve the same results. Some are more reliable than others. With the help of the HSS Hospital Reliability Scorecard, you can make sure you're asking the critical questions to find the hospital that's right for you. Understanding these data points will help you make the best decision for your care: See hospital reliability data
Learn more about minimally invasive knee surgery for arthritis, ligament tears, cartilage injuries and more.