The arthroscope is a pencil-sized surgical instrument equipped with a fiber-optic camera and lighting system that has revolutionized modern orthopedic medicine. By allowing surgeons to view and treat the interior of joints through tiny incisions, it has shifted many procedures from major "open" surgeries to outpatient "keyhole" treatments. The Evolution of Joint Visualization
: Today, the most common arthroscopes (roughly 4mm in diameter) feature a 30-degree lens angle at the tip. This allows surgeons to see a wider area simply by rotating the scope within the joint. arthroscope
While the knee is the most frequently examined joint, arthroscopy is widely used across the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons designated major joints: Arthroscopy - OrthoInfo - AAOS arthroscope