[Intra- and postoperative complications in the arthroscopy of the knee joint]

Arthroscopy of the knee joint is one of the invasive surgical procedures that are connected with a relatively low risk of complications. Currently it is considered that in the group of diagnostic arthroscopies and technically simple operative arthroscopies all possible complications (less and more serious) account for 0.8-1.2% and in technically more advanced operations performed by means and under control of arthroscopy--1.5-5%. The purpose of this study was a retrospective analysis of intra- and postoperative complications in 10,770 arthroscopies performed in the years of 1986-2001. In our material a number of 731 (6.98%) various complications was observed. General complications (anaestesiological and cardiovascular) represented 0.15%, intraoperative complications--0.31% and postoperative complications--6.34%.