Ankle Arthroscopy

An Ankle Arthroscopy surgery is performed in order to treat multiple leg conditions and injuries and is usually performed as a final resort, after conventional methods of treatment have been tried and failed to heal the leg.

An arthroscopic surgery method is a minimal invasive operation that will be performed through multiple small holes (usually 2 or 3) with the use of a tiny camera, thus abolishing the need for open surgery and skin trauma. This also minimizes the recovery process and hospitalization period.

Ankle Joint Video

Ankle injury

The ankle joint is one of the most important joints in the body for athletes. An injured ankle will compromise the athlete's ability to compete properly. If not treated, an ankle injury can be devastating for a competitor.

An ankle arthroscopy surgery will usually be done when one of the following situations occurs in a patient's ankle:

• Free Moving Objects – A condition in which there is a moving object (or several of them) within the ankle joint. An object such as this (cartridge or bony remnant) can cause damage to the cartridge or to the mechanical movement of the ankle and can be accompanied by pain.
• Ankle Cartilage Damage – A condition called ODC (Osteochondritis Dissecans) describes damage to the ankle bone that causes an unstable cartilage. This condition leads to pain and stiffness of the lower ankle bone and can also cause inflammation and difficulties moving the ankle.
• Inflamed Tissue - The existence of inflamed tissue within the ankle joint can cause pain, a sort of a "pinching" feeling and limits the ankle movement.

Ankle Arthroscopy Surgery

It should be clear that the orthopedist treating the injury will try conventional treatments first. Treatments like this may include physiotherapy and different types of contraptions and devices that will hold the ankle in place and minimize movments.

If the treatment isn't working, or the patient is an athlete that needs the ankle back to 100% functionality as soon as possible, the doctor will turn to surgery, usually ankle arthroscopy.

The course of the operation depends on the injury. The surgeon can perform an excursion of free moving objects from the ankle joint with special surgical instruments. A second type of procedure is when the surgeon removes damaged cartilage from the ankle followed by the stimulation of the bone where the removal was done in order for it to grow additional coverage. Finally, the surgeon can perform an ankle arthroscopy in order to remove inflamed and injured tissue – so the patient can once again have better ankle motion.

As this procedure is done in a minimally invasive technique, the hospitalization is fairly short and may last for 2-3 days. After the surgery, the patient will begin physiotherapy and execute special exercises to strengthen the foot as this is a crucial part of the recovery process. Patients will wear a splint after the procedure that can be removed for the exercises. A procedure like this normally requires the patient to use crutches to keep from putting weight on the ankle for a period of a few weeks.

Ankle Arthroscopy Surgery Abroad

Once diagnosed with the need for ankle surgery, a patient will prefer it is done arthroscopically in the best possible orthopedic clinic. TicketMed works with the top orthopedic surgeons around the globe and will be happy to assist you in acquiring information regarding the surgery and scheduling the procedure. Contact us or simply ask for a quote.