Arthroscopic Surgery and Shingles: Why You Should Delay Elective Procedures

If you have active shingles (herpes zoster), elective arthroscopic surgery should be postponed. Reasons include:

• Risk of spreading the varicella-zoster virus to surgical sites or healthcare workers.
• Immunosuppression from stress/surgery can worsen shingles or trigger complications like postherpetic neuralgia.
• Pain and discomfort from shingles can interfere with post-operative rehabilitation.

Inform your surgeon immediately. They will likely reschedule until lesions have crusted over (typically 2–4 weeks) and you are no longer contagious. Antiviral therapy (e.g., valacyclovir) may be prescribed to accelerate healing.