If you are living with chronic knee pain that is interfering with your everyday activities, you may be considering a knee replacement. In this procedure, the damaged part of your joint is removed and replaced with a prosthesis. As with any type of surgery there are always risks. One of those risks is an infection. Most infections occur after your surgery, during medical or dental procedures, when bacteria enters the bloodstream and then lodges around your new knee. An infection can also occur if you have a urinary tract infection during or after surgery. If you notice the signs of an infection, you need to tell your doctor right away, to avoid complications.
Common Symptoms
Infections after a knee replacement only occur in less then 2 percent of patients, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. However you need to watch for symptoms such as a fever that does not go away and reaches 105 degrees F or higher. The severity of the symptoms you experience, depend on whether or not the infection is just in the skin around your incision or around the artificial joint.
Serious Symptoms
Body chills or redness, swelling and tenderness near the knee joint, are all signs that you have an infection. In addition, you may develop knee pain that gets progressively worse during activity and rest, or your incision may start to drain.
Severe Symptoms
If symptoms such as pain and swelling are severe, and you do not respond to the antibiotics, the Georgetown University Hospital states that you may need a second surgery. This may be necessary to help remove the infected area(s) and replace your artificial knee.
