Mayo Clinic Health Manager
Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.
Get Started
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffArthroscopy (ahr-THROS-skuh-pe) is a procedure for diagnosing and treating joint problems. During arthroscopy, a surgeon examines and, in many cases, repairs your injured or diseased joint with the help of an optical instrument called an arthroscope. An arthroscope consists of a light source, a lens system, and bundled glass or plastic fibers (fiber optics) to carry light to the area being examined. These parts are encased in a tube, usually about one-eighth of an inch (4 mm) in diameter. A video camera attached to the arthroscope relays the view from within your joint to a video monitor. Because the arthroscope is so narrow, your surgeon needs only a small incision to place it in your joint.
Why it's done
