Minimally Invasive Surgery Specialist

What is minimally invasive surgery?

Minimally invasive surgery is an alternative technique to open surgery, which uses a single wide incision to access joints, organs, and other parts of your body. At Legacy Orthopaedics, Dr. Riley often uses minimally invasive arthroscopic surgery, or arthroscopy, to evaluate or treat complications with the hip, knee, elbow, wrist, and shoulder joints. 

During arthroscopic surgery, Dr. Riley makes one or more tiny incisions about the size of the buttonholes on your shirt. 

If he is simply evaluating the damage within a joint, he makes only one incision. Through that incision, he inserts a long, slender camera called an arthroscope. It projects an image on a nearby computer monitor so he can view the inner joint. The camera includes a light to illuminate the joint for a better view. 

If Dr. Riley is also making repairs with arthroscopy, he needs to make at least one other buttonhole-sized incision. Through this other incision, he inserts and manipulates slim surgical tools while using the arthroscope’s projected image for guidance. 

What are the benefits of minimally invasive surgery?

Compared with open surgery, minimally invasive surgeries like the arthroscopic surgeries that Dr. Riley performs at Legacy Orthopaedics offer several important advantages. While Dr. Riley decides whether to use minimally invasive or robotic surgery techniques on a case-by-case basis, you should keep these benefits in mind:

• Less postoperative pain
• Shorter recovery
• Smaller or less noticeable scars
• Increased accuracy because of the clear, magnified image
• Less bleeding or blood loss

To be sure that your minimally invasive joint surgery goes smoothly, Dr. Riley may tell you to stop taking certain medications or have you fast before the appointment. With proper preparation, minimally invasive surgery is safer than its open surgery counterparts. 

What can minimally invasive surgery diagnose or treat?

Dr. Riley uses minimally invasive arthroscopy to diagnose, evaluate, and repair various types of joint damage in the hips, knees, and shoulder joints. Before the surgery, he may evaluate the condition using an X-ray after going over your medical history and symptoms. 

With arthroscopic surgery, Dr. Riley can treat:

• Torn cartilage
• Loose bone fragments
• Inflamed joint linings
• Torn ligaments
• Scar tissue in joints

If he decides to include arthroscopic surgery at any point in your treatment plan, Dr. Riley will describe his plan to you in detail so you have a full understanding of what’s happening during your surgery. 

To schedule a consultation for minimally invasive surgery, call Legacy Orthopaedics or book a visit online today.