What is the difference between arthroscopic and open surgery?

Open surgery is “traditional” surgery, where an incision is made in the skin using a scalpel. You may have seen surgeries on TV or in the movies, where a surgeon makes an incision, then performs surgery through the incision. The size of the incision varies, depending on the type of procedure performed.

Arthroscopic surgery, on the other hand, is when very small incisions, ranging between 3mm and 1cm (depending on the area of the body), are made, in order to introduce a camera and instruments into the injured area. The surgeon is able to see the injury on a large monitor, and perform the surgery “from the inside”. As a result, recovery time is quicker and with less pain.

Dr. Badia specializes in minimally invasive surgeries, using arthroscopic technique whenever possible. Most surgeons only perform arthroscopic surgery on larger joints (hips, knees, shoulders), but Dr. Badia specializes in small joint arthroscopy as well (wrist, base of the thumb, knuckles), which allows him to offer treatments that would be difficult to find elsewhere. There are some types of surgery where open surgery is the only option, but even in these, Dr. Badia makes the smallest incision possible, to minimize trauma to the area, and expedite healing and recovery.