Shoulder and knee injuries can prevent you from moving freely and completing your daily tasks. Brad K. Cohen, MD -- an orthopedist and sports medicine specialist at Aventura Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine in North Miami and Miami Beach, Florida -- repairs damaged knees and shoulders with minimally invasive arthroscopy. If you’re a man or woman with shoulder or knee pain and you live in the Miami area, contact Dr. Cohen about knee and shoulder arthroscopy by calling his helpful staff or booking an appointment online.
Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure that uses small incisions, and a viewing instrument called an arthroscope to evaluate, diagnose, and treat joint conditions.
Dr. Cohen inserts the arthroscope into your shoulder or knee joints to evaluate the surface of your bones and the cartilage that covers them, as well as the surrounding tendons, ligaments, and muscles. If necessary, Dr. Cohen uses the arthroscope to visualize the area while he makes surgical repairs.
Dr. Cohen can use arthroscopy either as a diagnostic tool to learn more about your dysfunction or pain or a method for surgically repairing your shoulder or knee in the least invasive manner possible.
You might require arthroscopic exploration if other tests — including X-rays and a physical examination — don’t provide Dr. Cohen with sufficient information to make a firm diagnosis.
Although Dr. Cohen always prefers to use noninvasive methods to heal joint pain, if he thinks they’re insufficient or they don’t work when you try them, arthroscopic surgery may be the best solution.
Dr. Cohen can use arthroscopy to collect a sample of your joint tissue or fluid as a biopsy to test for cancer and other diseases. He also uses arthroscopy to:
When you undergo an arthroscopy, Dr. Cohen makes an incision that’s about the size of a button. Small incisions allow you to heal faster and minimize your downtime.
After your procedure, you can usually return home within a few hours and resume your normal daily routine within days. If you’re an athlete, you may need to wait several weeks before returning to your sport.
Dr. Cohen usually performs arthroscopy in his office under local anesthesia. However, if you’d prefer to sleep or your surgery is extensive, he arranges for general anesthesia at one of the hospitals he works with.
If you have shoulder or knee pain or are considering surgical repair of your joint problems, contact Dr. Cohen about shoulder and knee arthroscopy. You can phone the office or book online.