The Safety Assessment of Irrigation Fluid Management for Shoulder Arthroscopy and Its Effect on Postoperative Efficacy

OBJECTIVE: Fluid extravasation is a potentially dangerous complication associated with shoulder arthroscopy. Most relevant studies have involved respiratory system, while the primary purpose was to reveal the effects of the fluid extravasation on cardiovascular system and postoperative function. METHODS: The clinical data of 92 patients was retrospective analyzed, in which 84 cases with rotator cuff injury, three cases with shoulder instability, three cases with fractures of the greater tuberosity of the humerus, and two cases with frozen shoulder. All the patients were undergoing shoulder arthroscopy. The relationship between the basic information of the patients and cardiac index (CI) or pulse pressure variation (PPV) were evaluated by linear regression analysis. The change of CI or PPV at different states were evaluated by the one‐way analysis of variance. The liquid retention (TR) and postoperative clinical outcomes was analyzed using linear regression. RESULTS: The preoperative CI was affected by anesthesia status and body position, while PPV was not affected. Multivariate mixed‐effects model analysis of CI found that there was a statistically significant difference in groups of older than 55 years old and those with obesity (BMI > 24). After the operation, the retention of irrigation fluid significantly influenced the circumference of the deltoid (P < 0.001 (95%CI: [0.30, 1.00])), but not on the circumference of the deltoid, neck, and arm. The multivariate analysis of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgery (ASES) scores at 3 and 6 months after surgery showed that the fluid retention volume was correlated with the ASES score at 3 months after surgery, especially when the retention volume was greater than 2 L (P = 0.001 (95%). %CI: [−12.49, −3.22]). CONCLUSION: The retention of irrigation fluid after shoulder arthroscopic surgery causes swelling of local limbs, and has an effect on peripheral blood vessels, which is mainly reflected in its influence on PPV and the postoperative function. Therefore, surgeons need to improve their surgical technique, shorten the operation time and reduce fluid retention.