Arthroscopic surgery is used in horses to evaluate and treat a variety of problems.  The surgery is performed with a special camera (scope) which can be passed into the joint by a small incision (~1cm).  A special fiberoptic light cable is attached to the scope which illuminates the joint.  The joint can then be thoroughly evaluated and any cartilage damage, arthritis, fractures or chunks of free cartilage can be removed by using a grasping instrument through a second small incision on the opposite side of the joint.  

Arthroscopic surgery is an excellent way to evaluate the joint when radiographs and ultrasound do not help figure out the diagnosis.  In fact, when the lameness has blocked to a joint (a process where a veterinarian places a numbing agent into the joint which stops the pain and decreases the lameness) and radiographs or ultrasound do not reveal the cause, then arthroscopic surgery is the gold standard used to diagnose the reason for the joint pain.

In cases where there has been a laceration/wound over a joint and the joint is determined to be open or contaminated, arthroscopic surgery is used to evaluate the cartilage damage caused by the wound and to help with purposeful debridement (cleaning away) of damaged or infected tissue.  Arthroscopy is extremely helpful in these cases to assist the surgeon in determining a prognosis for future soundness of the horse.

The pictures below illustrate the typical position of the horse for an arthroscopic procedure. You can see the camera (scope) going into the joint as well as the image of the inside of the joint that we view on the monitor.