Preventing the onset of osteoarthritis through arthroscopy

Healthway Medical, the trusted and most-preferred network of mall-based clinics, offers arthroscopy, a surgical procedure where the inside of the joint is viewed and examined. This procedure is especially important in preventing the onset of osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is the most common degenerative joint disorder affecting millions of people worldwide. According to the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases, it is the most prevalent chronic rheumatic disease. It is also the leading cause of pain and disability especially among the elderly. This is because studies have proven that incidences of osteoarthritis increase with age.

The disease occurs because of the gradual deterioration of the cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones in the joints. It is a disease that worsens over time and even causes pain and stiffness, which may make it hard for the patient to move.

While women are more frequently affected, men are also prone to acquiring the disease commonly attributable to the hips and the knees. In fact, studies worldwide indicated that osteoarthritis accounts for over 90 percent of the growing hip and knee joint replacement operations around the globe.

Through arthroscopy, a procedure for diagnosing joint problems, osteoarthritis and its complications may be prevented. Arthroscopy allows the surgeon to view the inside joint without creating large incisions.

“We use small incisions for arthroscopy instead of opening up the joints by big incisions. With arthroscopy we just use keyhole incisions and insert a very small camera in the joints and whatever can be seen will be transmitted to the screen. It is both diagnostic and therapeutic,” said Dr. Regidor de Leon III, orthopedic surgeon at Healthway Medical, SM The Block.

During the procedure, the surgeon inserts an “arthroscope,” a small camera instrument about the size of a pencil into the joint. The device is responsible for sending the images inside the joint to a television monitor where the surgeon can see the structures of the joint in clearer detail.

Patients undergoing the procedure may feel numbness because of the anesthesia, commonly required in most surgical procedures.

Requirement

“The only preprocedure requirement is to take nothing per mouth for six to eight hours before the procedure. After the procedure, the leg should be elevated and be placed in a cold compress,” De Leon explained.

Unlike other surgical procedures which require patients to rest once the operation is over, arthoscopy allows patients to immediately proceed to doing their daily activities right after the procedure.

Arthroscopy offers convenience, especially given the lifestyle of people nowadays where everyone is always in a hurry,” De Leon said.

The procedure, which is conducted among four million patients worldwide according to the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine, is also available in Healthway Medical clinics at SM the Block, Festival Supermall, Greenbelt 5, Market! Market!, Shangri-La Plaza and Alabang Town Center.

“We are encouraging everyone, especially those who are already experiencing joint pains, to have themselves checked through this advance procedure in order to prevent joint pains,” said Carmie de Leon, vice president for sales and marketing of Healthway Medical (https://medicardphils.com or www.healthway.com.ph).