Orthopedic surgeons are able to repair some types of shoulder joint damage via a surgical method called arthroscopy. In this technique, a small fiber-optic scope containing a video camera is inserted through a tiny opening into the joint. Slender instruments are inserted into an adjacent opening, and the surgeon watches a video monitor to guide the repair work. This type of surgery is often done in an out-patient setting and is typically less painful than other types of surgery. However, like all surgeries, it is not without potential complications.
Pain and Stiffness
Because the incisions are smaller and muscles aren't disturbed as much, arthroscopic surgery is usually less painful and the scars are less noticeable. In spite of that, people do experience varying degrees of pain and stiffness following this type of shoulder surgery. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, people who follow a prescribed daily routine of stretching and strengthening exercises after their surgery tend to have a better long-term result.
Damaged Nerves or Blood Vessels
Instruments used for arthroscopy are quite small, so the number of patients who suffer damage to nerves or blood vessels during an arthroscopic shoulder surgery is quite low, though not as low as for knee arthroscopies, according to a 2002 article published in the journal "Arthroscopy." Some possible signs of damage to nerves or blood vessels include tingling in the hands or fingers and excessive or prolonged bleeding.
Glenohumeral Chondrolysis
An unusual complication of arthroscopic shoulder surgery is glenohumeral chondrolysis, a condition in which the cartilage around the shoulder joint disintegrates. While rare---only a few dozens of cases have been confirmed as of 2010---a 2009 report by University of Washington Medical Center Associate Professor Winston Warme, M.D. and colleagues noted that this condition "is being diagnosed with increased frequency since the advent of shoulder arthroscopy." No one knows exactly why this happens, but researchers are examining all the processes used with this surgery, including types of instruments and types of anesthesia.
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