Wrist arthroscopy

Reports on arthroscopic treatment of wrist disorders have been published as early as the 1980s. However, wrist arthroscopy has been poorly established in most centers, and only a relatively small number of orthopedic surgeons across the globe perform wrist arthroscopy on a regular basis. The wrist is a labyrinth of eight carpal bones, multiple articular surfaces with intrinsic and extrinsic ligaments, and a triangular fibrocartilage complex, all within a five-centimeter interval. Arthroscopic wrist surgery allows excellent visualization of and access to the articular surface of the carpal bones and ligaments that is not possible via an arthrotomy. It allows for evaluation of the intracarpal structures under bright, magnified conditions, with minimum morbidity compared with that associated with arthrotomy. Recent improvements of the surgical techniques, advanced imaging modalities, and the establishment of specifically designed instrumentation have helped to overcome many challenges and increased the indications for wrist arthroscopy.