Arthroscopy is a surgical procedure orthopaedic surgeons use to
visualize, diagnose, and treat problems inside a joint. The word
arthroscopy comes from two Greek words, "arthro" (joint) and
"skopein" (to look). The term literally means "to look within
the joint." In an arthroscopic examination, an orthopaedic
surgeon makes a small incision in the patient's skin and then
inserts pencil-sized instruments that contain a small lens and
lighting system to magnify and illuminate the structures inside
the joint. Light is transmitted through fiber optics to the end
of the arthroscope that is inserted into the joint. By attaching
the arthroscope to a miniature television camera, the surgeon is
able to see the interior of the joint through this very small
incision rather than a large incision needed for surgery. The
television camera attached to the arthroscope displays the image
of the joint on a television screen, allowing the surgeon to
look, for example, throughout the knee. This lets the surgeon
see the cartilage,