A knee replacement is a common procedure used to relieve any pain due to trauma, arthritis or other conditions. A knee replacement surgery involves a surgeon surgically removing the old knee and replacing it with a synthetic one. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, nearly 581,000 knee replacements are performed each day in the United States. Although this procedure is relatively safe and effective, a patient should be aware of the dangers of having knee surgery.
Infection
According to MayoClinic.com, infection is a risk of knee replacement surgery. An infection may occur because bacteria living on the patient's skin, surgical tools, or on the surgeon's hands may enter the knee wound and replicate. If left untreated, an infection can spread into the knee joint or to the rest of the body and result in a systemic infection. Signs of a local infection include redness, excessive pain, drainage and a foul odor from the surgical site. Signs of a spreading infection include joint pain, fevers, chills and night sweats. A patient experiencing any of these symptoms should seek emergency medical treatment so antibiotics can be started to treat the infection.
Blood Clots
Any patient undergoing a knee replacement surgery is at risk for developing blood clots, the AAOS notes. This occurs because surgical damage to blood vessels and exposure of blood to air can cause blood to clot. Blood may clot in a vein or an artery and spread to other parts of the body, which can result in serious complications. The most severe potential complications include a pulmonary embolism, a stroke, or a heart attack. A patient having any chest pain or experiencing any difficulty breathing should not hesitate to seek emergency medical treatment.
Scarring
Scarring is a common occurrence with knee replacement surgery. Not only does the skin leave a notable scar, but more importantly the inside tissues of the knee can scar. Inner knee scarring can result in joint stiffness and joint pain over time. A patient can prevent scarring by attending recommended physical therapy sessions after surgery. In addition, he should be sure to maintain a healthy lifestyle that involves adequate amounts of physical activity to prevent knee scarring from occurring. If the patient is concerned about knee scarring he should not hesitate to see his doctor.
