Is Arthroscopy Good for Other Joint Problems?

QUESTION: I thought that arthroscopy could only be used for knees. Is
arthroscopy any good for other joint problems?
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ANSWER: Arthroscopy is a form of minor surgery. A special instrument called
an arthroscope is inserted into a joint through a small incision. The surgeon
looks through the arthroscope into the joint and diagnoses the problem. In
some cases, surgery on the joint can be performed using special small
instruments while the surgeon views the scene through the scope. Arthroscopy
is usually done on knees, but can also be performed on shoulders, elbows,
ankles, and in a few cases, wrists and hips. Because there is only a small
incision, there is a reduced risk of complication than with normal joint
surgery. Regular surgery leaves much larger scars.
Arthroscopic surgery, which allows the patient to be up and about within
days, has been widely used on many famous athletic knees in recent years and
has gotten a lot of publicity. Unfortunately, now everyone with a bad joint
thinks they're candidates for arthroscopy too. In medicine, however, nothing
is right for everyone.
Some people do not need any kind of joint surgery and simply need to rest
the joint or physical therapy to strengthen the muscles around the joint. In
other cases, arthroscopy will not do the job and full surgery is called for.
A badly injured knee from an accident may require full surgery because
arthroscopy would further traumatize the knee. If there is a superficial skin
infection around the joint, such as an infected scrape or bruise, arthroscopy
is usually delayed until after the infection is gone so that it is not
inadvertently spread into the joint.