Ankle arthroscopy

Complications of ankle arthroscopy

The vast majority of patients following ankle arthroscopy suffer no complications.

1. Parasthesia - 4%
   This is numbness, effecting the skin and occurs as a result of injury (bruising or division) of branches of, or the actual, cutaneous nerves. It occurs because the safe 'corridors' allowing access into the ankle, away from the vital structures, lie close to these nerves.
2. Superficial Wound Infection - 1%
   You will receive pre-operative antibiotics which minimise the risk of this complication.
3. Deep (Joint) Infection - 0.2%
   You will receive pre-operative antibiotics and the operation is carried out in a laminar flow theatre (the same degree of sterility as is used for open joint replacement) which will minimise the chances of complication.
4. Haemarthrosis - 1%
   This complication is bleeding into the joint after the operation. Small amounts of bleeding are not uncommon and generally will go unnoticed. However, if a large amount of bleeding is present this will lead to painful swelling which may require surgical drainage. This generally requires washing the ankle out at the end of arthroscopy. The chance of this complication is probably reduced by a compressive bandage after the operation and leaving it on for a week following the operation.
5. Deep Vein Thrombosis - 0.5-1%
   The chance of this complication is small following an ankle arthroscopy. You will nevertheless be given a prophylactic anticoagulant once you are asleep prior to the onset of your operation. If you are likely to be immobile for any length of time following the operation you will also be given a course of short injections following the operation to reduce the chance of this.

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