Arthroscopic abrasion is a surgical technique for the management of early arthritis, where the surgeon takes a rotating burr and rubs the damaged surface down to bleeding bone.
Page updated December 2023 by Dr Sheila Strover (Clinical Editor)
Rationale behind arthroscopic abrasion
The philosophy behind arthroscopic abrasion is that blood vessels will nourish the damaged area and primitive blood cells will reform into joint cartilage cells and cover the damaged area with a new healthy surface.
The term 'arthroscopic abrasion' is often used interchangeably with the term 'abrasion arthroplasty', but the latter should really be reserved for instances where a deformed arthritic joint surface is re-shaped using this technique.
Synonyms:
abrasion arthroplasty
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