Articular cartilage and soft tissue damage from radiofrequency thermal ablation wands at wrist arthroscopy

We report six cases of complications from use of a thermal wand at wrist arthroscopy. Complications included skin necrosis, extensor tendon lesions and thermal articular cartilage damage, one with a catastrophic outcome. Thermal wands have the potential for substantial soft tissue damage causing severe harm to patients. The damage could be related to the design of the wands. User error poses an additional risk. These risks need to be appreciated and should be minimized. The complications indicate the need for careful use of the thermal wands to minimise risk including using only short bursts of thermal energy, the use of high flow irrigation with an outflow and trying to ensure that the collar of the device and not just the tip is within the joint. In addition, the design of thermal wands for use in the wrist may need to be reviewed.

Level of evidence: IV