Arthroscopy of the first MTP joint, perspective 1

Abstract

Attempts to arthroscope small joints in the 1930s failed due to the disparity in size between the arthroscope and joint. In 1968, a new light-emitting material known as Selfoc was developed jointly by the Nippon Sheet Glass Company, Osaka, and the Nippon Electrical Company, Tokyo. In 1970, the Selfoc arthroscope was developed for arthroscopy of small joints by Watanabe using a Selfoc glass rod. The gauge of the scope was 1.7 mm, and the outer diameter of the sheath was 2 mm. The first report of arthroscopy of the first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint was by Watanabe reporting on five cases in his book titled Atlas of Arthroscopy published in 1972 [1].