Dr. Slevin Arthroscopy is a type of surgery that has revolutionized Orthopedic treatment of joint disorders over the past 20 years.

The arthroscope is a fibre-optic microscope that allows your Orthopedic Surgeon to view the inside of your joints to clarify diagnoses and then treat many of the problems encountered. It is inserted through a 1/4 inch incision. Other narrow instruments are inserted through similar sized incisions that allow microscopic cutting, repairing and removal of damaged structures in your joints. A two-ounce TV camera is mounted on the arthroscope, allowing us to observe the surgery on a monitor while video taping and generating still photographs. Due to the minimal trauma to the surrounding tissues resulting from the small incisions, most arthroscopic procedures can be done as an outpatient, eliminating the need for a hospital stay. Most procedures are done under a short general anesthetic, but some can be done with local or other regional anesthetic methods. The minimal exposure reduces postoperative pain and facilitates a more rapid recovery and faster rehabilitation. Physical therapy, when necessary, can begin almost immediately after surgery, allowing patients a faster return to full activities, both work and recreational.

Arthroscopy is a growing field. Originally, in the late l970’s, arthroscopy was limited to the knee joint. Soon, arthroscopy of other joints became more commonplace, including the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip and ankle. In addition to other joints, the types of procedures increased as the growing technology resulted in many more arthroscopic instruments that allow us to accomplish many more types of procedures that were never dreamed possible.

We are now able to reconstruct torn ligaments or tendons in knees and shoulders, repair or remove loose or torn cartilage in knees, hips, wrists, elbows, shoulders and ankles. Other devices allow us to shrink stretched tissues and cauterize bleeding vessels. We can use lasers and other bloodless means of cutting tissues to help realign joints or sculpt smoother joint surfaces. We can suture tissues that are torn or sometimes use absorbable devices to staple or tack torn structures together. Other instrument systems allow us to resurface damaged portions of a joint, either by stimulating new cartilage growth or to actually transplant healthy cartilage to damaged areas.

The technology of arthroscopy changes almost daily. This requires constant retraining by your surgeon to remain current with the latest procedures. You should remember, however, that new technology is not always better. Time will be necessary to carefully determine which of these new procedures really represent an advantage to you, the patient.
Dr. Slevin completed his orthopedic residency in Phoenix Arizona and an Arthroscopic Fellowship at St. Lukes hospital, also in Phoenix. He has been team physician for the Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles, USTA Tennis Events, local highschools, and the Gomez Tennis Academy. He has practiced in Sarasota since l982, specializing in Sports Medicine, and disorders of the knee and shoulder.