Wrist Arthroscopy

Several conditions can be treated using arthroscopic surgery, including chronic wrist pain, wrist fractures, ganglion cysts and tears in the ligaments or the triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC). Wrist arthroscopy may also be used to smooth the bone surfaces and remove inflamed tissue. Arthroscopy can also be used to surgically treat carpal tunnel syndrome, but in that diagnosis, the arthroscope is not inserted into the wrist joint itself.

• Chronic wrist pain: Arthroscopic exploratory surgery may be used to diagnose the cause of chronic wrist pain when other tests are inconclusive. Often, there may be areas of inflammation, cartilage damage, or other findings after a wrist injury. In some cases, after the diagnosis is made, the condition can be treated arthroscopically as well.
• Wrist fractures: Doctors can remove small fragments and fracture debris, align the broken pieces of bone, and stabilize them by using pins, wires, or screws.
• Ganglion cysts: These cysts commonly grow from a stalk between two of the wrist bones. During an arthroscopic procedure, the surgeon can remove the stalk, which may also reduce recurrence of the cysts.
• Ligament/TFCC tears: Ligaments are fibrous bands of connective tissue that link or hinge bones. They provide stability and support to the joints. The TFCC is a cushioning structure within the wrist. A fall on an outstretched hand can tear ligaments, the TFCC or both, resulting in pain with movement or a clicking sensation. During arthroscopic surgery, the surgeon can trim or repair the tears.
• Carpal tunnel release: Carpal tunnel syndrome is characterized by numbness or tingling in the hand, and sometimes with pain up the arm. It is caused by pressure on a nerve that passes through the carpal tunnel, which is formed by the wrist bones and a thick tissue roof. Pressure can build up within the tunnel for many reasons, including irritation and swelling of the tissue (synovium) that covers the tendons. If the syndrome does not respond to conservative treatment, your doctor may recommend surgery to cut the ligament roof and enlarge the tunnel, thus reducing pressure on the nerve and relieving symptoms. This can sometimes be done using an arthroscope.