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What Are the Risks of Nerve Damage From Orthopedic Knee Surgery?

Orthopedic knee surgery is often performed to relieve pain and restore function to the knee. There are some risks however, that are associated with this procedure. Nerve damage is one of these risks, although it occurs rarely.

  1. Identification

    • Orthopedic knee surgery, or knee replacement surgery, may be performed to restore function of the knee joint. Arthritis is a common cause of knee pain and may limit a patient's mobility. Knee replacement surgery involves replacing the knee joint with special "hardware."

    Complications

    • There may be risks of complications with orthopedic knee surgery. Some of these risks may be infection, blood clots, difficulty healing or loosening of the prosthesis.

    Potential

    • There is a potential for nerve damage to occur with orthopedic knee surgery. The nerve that is most likely to sustain damage during this type of surgery is the peroneal nerve. The peroneal nerve is the nerve to the muscles that are responsible for bringing the foot upwards.

    Significance

    • The risk of nerve damage during knee surgery is relatively low. If nerve damage does occur, it is possible for the affected nerve to recover within six to 12 months. However, there is a chance that severe nerve damage will be permanent. There may also be some nerve damage to the small skin nerves after knee surgery. This can cause a loss of sensation on the skin surrounding the surgery site. This type of nerve damage usually lasts only a few months.

    Prevention/Solution

    • All surgery has the risks of side effects. If you are concerned about the any of these risks, consult your doctor prior to surgery to discuss them.

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