Surgery 101

Minimally invasive surgery, as in arthroscopy, which uses small tubes, a camera, and miniature instruments allow surgeons to operate through tiny cuts. Most patients recover faster and with less pain than a classic open surgery.

The Orthopedic Surgical Center of Montana is fully setup to provide arthroscopic surgery of the knee, shoulder, elbow, wrist, ankle, foot, and hip for procedures such as ACL reconstruction, rotator cuff tears, and femoroacetabular impingement (FAI).

Arthroscopy is a relatively new procedure, fully developed in the last 40 years. Arthroscopic knee surgery is one of the most common orthopedic procedures, performed approximately 2 million times worldwide each year.

700-2000 BC

The Shoshone Indians develop a splint made from fresh rawhide soaked in water

430-330 BC

The Greeks apply the scientific method to medicine
The Corpus Hippocrates text is compiled which delineates a method still used today for reducing anterior shoulder dislocations

300 BC

The Egyptians create splints from bamboo and reed padded with linen
Imhotep composes the first surgical textbook

1500

Hippocrates work lead the field for nearly 2000 years until Di Vinci and others began studying anatomy

1842

Dr. Crawford Long uses ether for the first time to help a patient sleep through surgery

1867

Dr. Joseph Lister introduces antiseptic, dramatically reducing deaths from infection

1895

Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen invents the x-ray

1942

Austin Moore performs the first metal hip arthroplasty, advancing the field of joint replacement

1962

Watanabe performs the first arthroscopic partial meniscectomy

1980

The first minimally invasive surgery uses 3 small cuts to replace a large incision for an appendectomy

1985

Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic and Related Surgery is established covering various emerging arthroscopic techniques

2002

A minimally-invasive cardiac bypass is performed using tiny incisions between the ribs

Today

Arthroscopy is a common surgical method used in a number of procedures involving, among others, the joints of the knee, shoulder, and wrist including removal, repair or reconstruction of various ligaments, bone and cartilage

Your Surgical Team

Be Proactive

There are a number of things you, the patient, can do to ease the recovery from surgery and reduce the risk of complications during the procedure itself. Your body undergoes a lot of stress and uses a lot of energy during surgery. You can recover faster with less risk of complications by making healthy choices before surgery.

Don’t smoke

Smoking significantly increases the risk of complications during surgery.

Eat healthy foods

A balanced diet provides the nutrients your body needs to help manage the stress of recovery and heal itself afterwards.

Exercise before you need surgery

Exercise before surgery can increase your muscular strength, improve your balance, develop your coordination and help you recover faster after surgery.

Use relaxation techniques to manage the stress of surgery

Deep breathing, visualization and other relaxation techniques can help you manage the emotional stress of surgery and can help you recover faster afterwards.

Tell your doctor about any and all drugs and medications you are taking

Reduce the risk of complications from surgery by telling your doctor about any drugs, medications and herbal remedies you may be taking.