NYU Langone Health recently was the first health system to use a new visualization system, the NanoScope, during foot and ankle arthroscopic procedures to improve diagnosis of conditions like arthritis and cartilage injuries, and to increase efficiency and accuracy during endoscopic procedures in joints including the knee, elbow, wrist and ankle.
The NanoScope visualization system is a needle-sized, 1.9-mm chip-on-the-tip scope that is minimally invasive and only requires the use of local anesthesia. Patients can receive both diagnosis and treatment in an outpatient setting all on the same day.
John G. Kennedy, M.D., chief of the Division of Foot and Ankle Surgery and professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at NYU Langone, first used the NanoScope for an ankle debridement. Recovery for the patient after the procedure took only about 15 minutes.
“We are thrilled to be the first center to utilize this new platform, which not only facilitates the most cutting-edge treatments for our patients, but also allows them to be a partner in their own medical care,” Kennedy said.
“With NanoScope, we can show our patients real-time images of their joint in the comfort of our clinic, and act quickly and precisely to address certain joint issues that greatly impact their quality of life, without having to wait for an MRI or set foot in an operating room.”
NanoScope is developed and manufactured by Arthrex, Inc. and combines the best in imaging sensors, LED light and image management to help orthopedic surgeons work in tighter spaces. This approach is targeted for patients undergoing debridement for anterior ankle spurs, cartilage repair procedures, debridement for foot arthritis and ankle arthritis. It is also available for patients needing Achilles, peroneal, and posterior tibial tendon debridement and patients receiving platelet-rich plasma injections.
“The Department of Orthopedic Surgery has long been a leader in bringing innovative approaches to common joint issues,” says Joseph D. Zuckerman, M.D., the Walter A.L. Thompson Professor of Orthopedic Surgery and chair of the department.
“Our use of this new technology exemplifies our mission to deliver the most advanced care to our patients to improve their experience and outcomes.”
