Only Minor Complications Are Reported After Needle Arthroscopy: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Minimally Invasive Procedures
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Needle arthroscopy is an emerging technique for joint evaluation and treatment.
• Understanding its complication profile is crucial for clinical adoption and patient counseling.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and assess the incidence, etiology, and severity of complications following needle arthroscopy.
• To provide a comprehensive overview of the safety of needle arthroscopy across different joints.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted across multiple databases.
• Eleven articles reporting on complication rates after needle arthroscopy in 1,624 patients were included.
• The Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies of Interventions tool assessed evidence quality.

Main Results:

• The overall complication rate after needle arthroscopy varied from 0% to 9.68% across ankle, knee, and shoulder joints.
• Vasovagal reactions, often linked to needle phobia, were the most common complication.
• All identified complications were classified as Grade I using the Clavien-Dindo-Sink classification.

Conclusions:

• Needle arthroscopy demonstrates a low overall complication rate, with most events being minor.
• The findings support the safety of needle arthroscopy as a minimally invasive option for joint procedures.