The Role of Arthroscopy in Wrist Arthritis

Wrist arthroscopy has steadily grown from a predominantly diagnostic tool to a valuable adjunctive procedure in the treatment of myriad wrist disorders. It cannot supplant a thorough wrist examination since it is not always possible to differentiate between a variety of asymptomatic degenerative findings and pathologic lesions but it does allow for a thorough assessment of the articular surfaces while providing a minimally invasive method for synovectomy and tissue biopsy. Although it has some applications in the treatment of inflammatory arthritides it has become a popular method for treating degenerative arthritis as well as post-traumatic arthritis involving the wrist.