Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the complication rate of knee arthroscopy as performed by rheumatologists. METHODS: A prospective study of complication rate in sequential patients having knee arthroscopies performed by rheumatologists at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) over an 8 year period. RESULTS: A total of 342 knee arthroscopies were performed. There were 6 complications (1.8%), including one each of seizure, gout, portal cellulitis, ankle pain, inadequate knee drainage, and vasovagal symptoms. There was no longterm morbidity or mortality secondary to the procedures. CONCLUSION: Knee arthroscopy performed by experienced rheumatologists trained in arthroscopy has a low rate of complications, which are mostly minor.