What does arthroscopy mean?
Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical technique used to diagnose and treat problems inside a joint. The word derives from Greek roots meaning 'joint' (arthro-) and 'to look' (-scopy), reflecting its core purpose: allowing a surgeon to see inside the joint. During the procedure, an arthroscope — a slender tube fitted with a light source and camera — is inserted through a small incision, while additional instruments may be introduced through one or more tiny cuts to repair damaged tissue. Commonly performed on the knee and shoulder, arthroscopy can address issues such as torn cartilage, loose fragments, and ligament damage. Because it avoids the large incisions required by traditional open surgery, it generally offers patients less pain, smaller scars, and faster recovery. Widely regarded as one of the most significant advances in modern orthopaedic medicine, arthroscopy has become a routine and highly effective tool for both diagnosis and treatment of joint disorders.
nounA minimally invasive surgical procedure in which a surgeon examines, diagnoses, and treats the interior of a joint using an arthroscope — a thin, telescope-like instrument inserted through a small incision.
- The surgical procedure of examining or treating the interior of a joint using an arthroscope inserted through a small incision.
"After months of knee pain, the orthopaedic surgeon recommended arthroscopy to examine the damaged cartilage."
"Arthroscopy allowed the surgeon to remove the loose fragment of cartilage without making a large incision."
"Recovery from shoulder arthroscopy is typically much faster than recovery from open joint surgery."
The plural is used when referring to multiple instances of the procedure, e.g. across different patients or occasions. In general reference to the technique, the uncountable singular form is preferred.
"Over his career, the surgeon performed thousands of arthroscies on knees and shoulders."
The word 'arthroscopy' literally means 'looking into joints' — and thanks to it, surgeons can repair a torn knee ligament through incisions smaller than a buttonhole.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of arthroscopy
Arthroscopy comes from the Greek words 'arthron', meaning 'joint', and 'skopein', meaning 'to look' or 'to examine'. The term entered English medical vocabulary in the early twentieth century alongside the development of the arthroscope itself, which was first used to view the interior of the knee in the 1910s–1920s. It shares its root with other Greek-derived anatomical terms such as 'arthritis', 'arthropod', and 'arthralgia', all built on the same stem for 'joint'.
Related word forms
How arthroscopy is actually used
Arthroscopy is a formal medical term used primarily by healthcare professionals, though it appears frequently in health journalism and patient-facing material. It is countable when referring to individual procedures ('two arthroscopies') and uncountable when referring to the technique in general. The adjective form is 'arthroscopic', as in 'arthroscopic surgery'.
Easily confused with arthroscopy
Arthropathy is any disease of a joint, whereas arthroscopy is the surgical procedure of examining a joint with an arthroscope.
Endoscopy is the general technique of viewing the interior of the body with an endoscope; arthroscopy is endoscopy applied specifically to joints.