One complication that may arise during ringbone surgery is the ringbone's failure to unite with the graft. If this occurs, your horse will require a second surgery for ringbone treatment.
Additionally, ringbones are often very painful when they are operated on because of the nerve damage they have already caused. Thus, it's common for the surgery to result in your horse experiencing a sharp pain response during the ringbone's manipulation and ringbone fusion. This is most often managed with intravenous (IV) analgesics such as ketamine and/or butorphanol given just before ringbone surgery begins.
Additionally, ringbones may bleed heavily when operated on due to their typically large size. Thus, the surgery may need to be stopped in order to control the bleeding using ringbone coaptation (sewing ringbones together).