The most common type of knee surgery performed today according to the Center for orthopedics and sports medicine is called arthroscopy. It is a surgical procedure in which an arthroscope, a very tiny fiber-optic telescope that allows a surgeon to see into a patient’s joint and perform surgery. The most common complications after knee surgery are hematomas, infection and phlebitis. Another common complication after knee surgery according to "Chapman’s Orthopedic Surgery," is deep venous thrombosis also known as DVT.
Hematomas
One of the most common complications after knee surgery is a hematoma. This is the formation of a mass of usually clotted blood in a tissue, organ or any other body space due to a broken vessel. If the collection of blood inside the knee joint is very significant, another knee surgery may be required.
Joint Infections
"Chapman’s Orthopedic Surgery" reports another common complication after knee surgery is the possibility of a joint infection. This occurs at the arthroscope’s point of entry into the knee and leads to swelling of the knee, a fever and persistent drainage of fluid from the knee.
Phlebitis and Deep Vein Thrombosis
Phlebitis, the forming of a blood clot within a vein, is a complication seen after knee surgery. Deep vein thrombosis is the name of the condition when this blood clot forms within one of the veins in the body very close to the bone or covered by major muscles. The main risk that comes with having phlebitis is that it can lead to the breaking off of this blood clot which can be propagated into the lungs through a vein. This is most commonly referred to as a pulmonary embolus and can cause serious problems for the patient.
