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Arthroscopies

Arthroscopy is a translation from Greek and literally means "looking" (scopy) into the "joint" (arthros). Arthroscopic joint surgery (or arthroscopy) is a technique that has become increasingly important in veterinary medicine in recent years.

It is with some pride that we can say that the Small Animal Orthopaedics Department is one of the pioneers of this technique. Since 1990, our experience has continued to grow and we can confidently say that the University Veterinary Clinic in Merelbeke is one of the world leaders in this field. Our patient base is not limited to Belgium, but also includes animals from neighbouring countries (the Netherlands, France, Luxembourg, Germany, etc.). Every year, we organise an international arthroscopy workshop for interested veterinarians.

Arthroscopy can be used for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The major advantage of keyhole surgery is that it is minimally invasive. This means that the same results are achieved as with conventional surgery, without the need for large surgical incisions. As a result, the patient's recovery is much faster than with conventional surgery.

Another advantage of arthroscopy is the ability to examine a joint in detail and to perform treatment very thoroughly at the same time.

Almost all joints can be accessed via keyhole surgery:

• Elbow
  • Injury to the medial coronoid
  • OCD or osteochondrosis dissecans
  • LAP or loose anconeus process
  • Elbow incongruity: a poorly fitting joint
  • Flexor enthesopathy
  • Incomplete fusion of the humeral condyle
• Shoulder
• Knee
• Hip
• Heel
• Wrist

Each of these joints is associated with different conditions (pathologies), such as elbow dysplasia or osteochondrosis dissecans of the shoulder (OCD).