Rotator Cuff Surgery Complications

Rotator cuff surgery is recommended to repair rotator cuff tears, which are a common byproduct of arthritis or other degenerative conditions. There are several approaches to rotator cuff surgery, including open, minimally invasive or arthroscopic repair. As with any surgery that requires invasive measures, complications associated with surgery can occur.

Surgical Types

• While all forms of rotator cuff surgery aim to repair tears, there are differences in surgical approaches.

  Open repair involves making an incision several centimeters long (according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons). The surgeon will then remove any bone spurs or diseased bone that may be causing pain.

  Minimally invasive repair involves making a smaller incision, typically 3 to 5 centimeters in length, according to the AAOS, and uses an arthroscopic instrument--which has a small camera on its end--to view the diseased portions of the shoulder. Small, slender instruments are inserted through the opening to remove diseased portions.

  All-arthroscopic repair is a highly technical procedure that can be performed on an outpatient basis. Several small incisions are made, and an arthroscopic instrument is inserted to visualize shoulder and bone tissue. Small instruments are inserted through the incisions an the surgeon can remove bone spurs as well as re-attach tendons to bone.

Nerve Injury

• Because rotator cuff surgery involves the complex navigation around nerve and other tissues in the body, nerve damage can occur in an estimated 1 to 2 percent of rotator cuff surgery patients, according to the AAOS. When nerve injury does occur, it is most often in the axillary nerve, which provides sensation to the deltoid muscle, which extends from the shoulder to the biceps and triceps.

Infection

• A surgical incision that exposes the body's tissues to air often runs the risk of complications from infection. As a general rule, the larger the incision, the more possibility for infection, according to EHealthMD.com. However, surgeons should use highly sterilized instruments and antibiotics during surgery in order to prevent infection in the soft tissues and bones.

Deltoid Detachment

• A complication that is only associated with the open surgical procedure (the other methods do not involve manipulation of the deltoid muscle), deltoid detachment can occur, particularly in males who have larger deltoid muscles. This can result in loss of function, strength and movement and often must be surgically repaired.

Stiffness

• If a patient's arthritic condition was severe prior to surgical treatment, there is a chance that residual stiffness can occur. While stiffness is reported in less than 1 percent of surgical patients, according to the AAOS, early physical therapy may help to reduce stiffness and improve function and range of motion.