Episode 191: Seeing More Through Less: Nanoscopy in Elbow Surgery with Dr. Christopher Ahmad - Live at AOSSM 2026
What if treating the throwing athlete’s elbow could mean seeing more while disrupting less?
In this special LIVE episode from the AOSSM Annual Meeting in Seattle, Dr. Catherine Logan and Dr. Ashley Bassett sit down with Christopher Ahmad, MD, renowned sports medicine surgeon and longtime New York Yankees team physician, to explore the evolution of elbow arthroscopy and the emerging role of nano-arthroscopy in treating throwing athletes.
Elbow arthroscopy has become an important tool for addressing mechanical intra-articular pathology, including loose bodies, posterior impingement, osteophytes, synovitis, chondral injuries, OCD lesions, and stiffness. But the elbow’s small working space and proximity of critical neurovascular structures make precision essential.
Dr. Ahmad discusses how advances in visualization and instrumentation—including the Arthrex NanoNeedle Scope—are expanding the surgeon’s toolbox and potentially allowing selected procedures to be performed with even less soft-tissue disruption.
The conversation also examines the growing interest in accelerated return-to-play timelines, including the much-discussed return of MLB pitcher Tarik Skubal following nano-arthroscopy and loose-body removal.
In This Episode
The most common elbow pathologies treated arthroscopically in throwing athletes
How to distinguish mechanical intra-articular pathology from ligamentous insufficiency
Why accurate diagnosis and appropriate indications remain critical
The evolution of elbow arthroscopy over the past two decades
Why the elbow presents unique technical challenges for arthroscopic surgery
Traditional arthroscopes vs. the Arthrex NanoNeedle Scope
How smaller visualization platforms may reduce surgical morbidity
Potential benefits of less fluid extravasation, smaller portals, and less capsular disruption
What nano-arthroscopy could mean for postoperative pain, swelling, ROM, and rehabilitation
Traditional recovery timelines following loose-body removal
What professional athletes can—and cannot—teach us about accelerated return to play
Whether emerging technologies could influence in-season surgical decision-making
The future of nano-arthroscopy and whether it could transform sports medicine
Why the future is likely not “nano vs. traditional,” but the right technology for the right patient
Key Takeaway
Technology doesn’t replace surgical judgment—it expands the toolbox.
For appropriately selected patients, nano-arthroscopy may offer an opportunity to accomplish established surgical goals while minimizing disruption to surrounding tissues. But as Dr. Ahmad emphasizes, the foundation remains the same: accurate diagnosis, sound indications, meticulous technique, and individualized patient care.
The future of sports medicine may not be about replacing traditional arthroscopy. It may be about having more precise options—and knowing exactly when to use each one.
Featured Technology
Arthrex NanoNeedle Scope
The NanoNeedle Scope represents an ultra-small visualization platform designed to provide direct visualization through a dramatically smaller diameter than traditional arthroscopes. In the elbow, where working space is limited and critical structures are nearby, this technology may offer new possibilities for minimally invasive evaluation and treatment.
Dr. Christopher Ahmad is a renowned orthopaedic sports medicine surgeon and longtime team physician for the New York Yankees. His clinical and research work has focused extensively on sports medicine, throwing athletes, elbow and shoulder pathology, and the advancement of surgical techniques.
Hosts
Catherine Logan, MD
Ashley Bassett, MD
The Sports Docs Podcast brings together leading sports medicine physicians to discuss the latest advances in orthopaedics, sports science, injury prevention, rehabilitation, and athlete performance.
Disclaimer
This episode is sponsored by Arthrex. The discussion focuses on the clinical application and evolving role of Arthrex technology in sports medicine. Surgical techniques and treatment decisions should be individualized based on patient-specific pathology, surgeon experience, and current evidence.
