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Arthroscopy Specialist

Weiss Orthopedics Our Services Arthroscopy

Weiss Orthopedics

Sonoma and Marin’s Premier Orthopedic Surgeon, Sports Medicine and Hand & Upper Extremity Specialist

Sports injuries, arthritis, and years of wear-and-tear can cause significant joint pain and damage. Minimally invasive arthroscopic surgeries from orthopaedist Noah Weiss, MD, at Weiss Orthopedics can help. The team offers careful and detailed arthroscopy for men and women in the Novato region of Northern Marin and Sonoma, California, to diagnose and treat joint pain, stiffness, and injuries of the knee, hip, shoulder, and more. To set up a consultation to discuss arthroscopy, call the office today.

Arthroscopy Q & A

What is arthroscopy?

Arthroscopy is a type of minimally invasive surgical procedure in which your Dr. Weiss makes a small incision in your skin to allow space for inserting a small camera to visualize your surgery. The camera is contained in a thin, flexible tube that can be placed in the joint space and relays images of the inside of the joint to a television. Dr. Weiss uses the video feed from the camera to guide the surgery, which allows for greater precision than traditional open surgeries.

Arthroscopy can be performed on any joint and is most commonly used in the knee and shoulder. The team uses the most advanced technology and surgical tools available for accurate and gentle surgeries, which allow you to recover more quickly and with less discomfort.

Dr. Weiss is a Master Instructor in Arthroscopy for the Orthopaedic Learning Center in Chicago, and the course director for their Advanced Elbow and Wrist Arthroscopy course. He regularly lectures and teaches nationally, and performs arthroscopy for multiple joints, including the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, knee, and ankle.

What are the benefits of arthroscopy?

Compared to traditional open surgeries, the incisions created during arthroscopic surgeries are significantly smaller, which reduces your risk of infection. A small incision also means faster healing time and less pain during your recovery.

With open surgeries, healthy muscles, tendons, and ligaments get cut in the process of performing the surgery. In arthroscopic surgery, Dr. Weiss takes extra precautions to avoid cutting or damaging healthy tissues in the treatment area. This allows your body to maintain as much strength as possible, which aids in recovery.

Arthroscopic surgery also limits bleeding. Traditional open surgeries lead to more blood loss than arthroscopy, which can leave you feeling weak and slows down the natural healing process.

When is arthroscopy recommended?

Dr. Weiss can recommend arthroscopy for both diagnostic and treatment purposes. Arthroscopy is used to diagnose conditions that aren’t easily seen on an X-ray or MRI or they can confirm your diagnosis. Once Dr. Weiss can see inside your injured joint to determine which structures are damaged, they can grade the severity of your injury and develop an appropriate treatment plan for you.

For treatment, arthroscopy aims to remove damaged tissue from inside the joint for a smoother joint surface, improved range of motion, and less pain. Conditions that can benefit from arthroscopy are: