A precise view inside a small, complex joint

Wrist arthroscopy is an operation performed through two or three incisions just a few millimetres long, often as a day-case procedure without a longer hospital stay.

Because this joint is small, we use an even finer camera here than for larger joints, allowing us to examine the small structures of the wrist precisely without opening it and at the same time reducing the risk of damaging the wrist’s articular surface.

What the procedure involves

Through 2-3 small incisions, we insert a microcamera about 2-3 mm in diameter and miniature surgical instruments into the wrist joint. The camera image is displayed on a high-resolution monitor at high magnification, allowing us to see the ligaments and articular surfaces more precisely than the eye could during open surgery.

This allows us during one procedure to assess the condition of the ligaments, cartilage, and synovial membrane and immediately repair what we find: we suture or fix damaged ligaments, remove loose bodies and altered bone or cartilage fragments, and clean out chronically inflamed synovial membrane.

When it is needed

  • wrist instability or ligament injury when the ligaments need to be sutured or reconstructed,
  • injury to the triangular cartilage, the shock-absorbing disc that stabilizes the wrist and enables a firm grip—a common cause of chronic pain and snapping on the medial side of the hand (the little-finger side),
  • a wrist ganglion that has recurred after puncture or is large,
  • degenerative changes in the wrist when damaged bone or cartilage fragments need to be removed,
  • chronic wrist pain without a clear cause when imaging studies do not provide a definite answer: arthroscopy allows us to view the joint from inside and immediately repair what we find.

What you gain from this method

Small incisions mean less disruption of the tissues around the joint, so postoperative pain is lower and the scars are almost invisible. In addition, unlike imaging studies such as X-rays or ultrasound, arthroscopy allows us to assess the ligaments and cartilage directly from inside the joint, which can be crucial in unclear, chronic complaints. It is both a diagnostic and, when necessary, therapeutic procedure.

What recovery looks like

Immediately after the procedure, you usually stay in the hospital only briefly, and depending on the scope of the operation you may even go home the same day. Depending on the procedure, the wrist requires full immobilization or only a sling worn for a while, according to what we repaired.

We tailor rehabilitation to the scope of the procedure: it is different after simple joint debridement than after ligament repair. The pace of return to full function depends on the extent of the damage found during surgery.

Book a consultation

During the consultation, we will check whether arthroscopy is the right solution for your wrist and tell you what to expect before, during, and after the procedure. Make an appointment and let us discuss your case.