Arthroscopy is a medical procedure that is used to diagnose and treat joint problems, states MayoClinic.com. It is often used to diagnose and treat knee injuries. In arthroscopy, a narrow tube containing a video camera is inserted through a small incision into the injured shoulder. The camera transmits pictures inside the shoulder joint to a video monitor, which allows the surgeon to see what exactly is causing the problem and then perform the required surgery on the shoulder. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that although the operation is quite safe, there may be certain complications.
Shoulder Stiffness
Arthroscopic shoulder surgery may cause stiffness, reports UMMC. The individual may find it difficult to move the affected shoulder around as easily as usual or as smoothly as the normal shoulder. The shoulder may also feel weak, and proper functioning of the joint may not come back even after the surgery.
Surgery Failure
UMMC states that a possible complication of arthroscopy is that the shoulder surgery may fail to relieve the symptoms. Patients usually go for this operation when other treatments fail to provide relief in the shoulder pain and movement of the joint is difficult. However, in some cases, the pain and difficulty may be reduced only slightly or not at all. Since the shoulder joint is repaired during this operation, it is possible that healing may not happen. This can also cause discomfort and pain.
Injury to Blood Vessel or Nerve
The surgery performed may also cause an injury to a blood vessel or nerve, states the UMMC. This can cause bleeding or loss of sensation in the area. The patient may report numbness or a pins-and-needles sensation, which could be permanent or may take years to recover. MayoClinic.com reports that the joint's structures could also be damaged due the placement and movement of the instruments used during the operation.
Other Complications
If the shoulder surgery lasts for more than an hour, it increases the risk of blood clots, reports MayoClinic.com. This operation is an invasive one and, therefore, there is a risk that infection may occur at the site of the incision or at the site where the repair has been done inside the shoulder. Since there are important organs around the shoulder, there is a danger that these could be injured, although this is rare, according to MedlinePlus. The arteries and veins that go to the arm may get injured accidentally.
