Expert: Ronald Levy, M.D. - 6/6/2008

Question
I had arthroscopic surgery 2 weeks ago today and had general anesthesia.  Since then I am having trouble with my right arm in that I cannot perform actions that were simple prior to surgery.  I cannot put my makeup on the left side of my face using my right hand without having to hold it still with my left hand.  The trembling is like the arm is very tired.  My job requires a lot of typing and handwritten notes and I have noticed that my fingers on my right hand do not always do what I want them to do.  Do you think this is simply a nerve problem and will eventually go away or should I be concerned?  Thank you so much for your time.

Answer
This question is probably best asked of your orthopedic surgeon because he knows what was wrong with you and what he did. I would not want to hazard a guess as to what it is although it sounds like arm fatigue secondary to recent surgery. I would suggest contacting your surgeon (at least by phone) to find out if this is normal.

Ronald Levy, MD
Associate Professor of Anesthesiology
UTMB-Galveston