The Evolution of Arthroscopy A Historical Perspective

The Hospital for Joint Disease was constructed in 1924, ushering in a new generation of orthopedic leaders in research and clinical care. One such surgeon, Michael S. Burman, helped pioneer the early advancement and development of arthroscopy in North America. Arthroscopic surgery, now a vital component of orthopedic surgery, has many connections to the Hospital for Joint Diseases (now the NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital). This manuscript will review the history of arthroscopy from its roots in endoscopy, through its development in Europe, and early growth in Japan and North America. The first published reports of endoscopy from Europe inspired Dr. Burman to travel to Germany to learn more. After, he brought his newly acquired knowledge back to the Hospital for Joint Diseases, where he carried out some of the seminal experiments on arthroscopy. Dr. Masaki Watanabe, now known as the father of arthroscopy, ultimately transitioned the early experiments into a viable surgical technique. The first generation of surgeons from Canada and the US visited Dr. Watanabe in Japan, brought these techniques back to North America in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and helped to teach and revolutionize this new type of surgery. Arthroscopy has further evolved over the next 50 years, but to continually improve we must look back and acknowledge those who helped create what we have today.