Neurovascular Complications of Knee Arthroscopy

Abstract

During the last 3 decades, arthroscopy has revolutionized the way knee surgery is performed. The indications and the applications of arthroscopic procedures in the knee joint have enormously increased with the improvement in surgical technique and advent of new arthroscopic equipment. The use of arthroscopic techniques has led to a significant decrease in morbidity for the patient with intraarticular abnormalities, in terms of both diagnosis and surgical correction. Even though knee arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure with relatively low morbidity, it is not without risk of complications, of which neurovascular complications are among the most serious and devastating. The reported incidence of neurovascular complication is low, but it may be underestimated. Many neurovascular complications that occur are preventable with a thorough understanding of neurovascular anatomy, good preoperative and intraoperative planning, and attention to the details of basic techniques and the equipment used for the procedure. It is imperative that the surgeon who is performing arthroscopy be aware of these neurovascular complications, recognize them as early as possible, and initiate further evaluation and treatment as expeditiously as possible. In this article, the causes, management, prevention, and medicolegal implications of neurovascular complications of knee arthroscopy are reviewed.

Compartment Syndrome, Femoral Nerve Lesion and Recurrent Haemarthrosis in one and the same Patient after Total Knee Arthroplasty

“…Compartment syndrome complicating knee arthroscopy is documented (Kim et al, 2002, Mont et al, 1996, but it is only rare after total joint replacement and a specific cause in these cases cannot always be identified (Hailer et al, 2007). Some reports are published on compartment syndrome after TKA.…”

Neurological Complications Related to Elective Orthopedic Surgery

“…The majority of nerve injuries seen after knee arthroscopy occur in association with MR, especially when utilizing insideout techniques 66,67 (Fig. 3).…”

Geschichtlicher Wandel der Meniskuschirurgie – Veränderungen in Krankheitsverständnis, Operationstechniken und Komplikationen

“…Jahrhunderts gelang Watanabe [90] [94]. Die Arthroskopie begann ihren Siegeszug von Japan aus über Nordamerika bis hin nach Europa [21,33,91] und wurde zum Goldstandard der Kniegelenkbinnendiagnostik [18]. Treibende Kraft in der arthroskopischen Forschung und Therapie waren die japanischen Ärzte.…”

“…Der Weg von den anfänglichen, nicht ungefährlichen Arthrotomien bis zu den heute üblichen arthroskopischen Meniskuseingriffen mit geringer Komplikationsrate benötigte annähernd 150 Jahre. Arthroskopische Kniegelenkeingriffe und insbesondere arthroskopische Meniskuseingriffe zäh-len in der heutigen Zeit zu den häufigsten orthopädisch-unfallchirurgischen Operationen [8,9,18,19,29,[31][32][33][34].…”