Knee joint replacement - Risks

Alternative Names

Total knee replacement; Knee arthroplasty; Knee replacement - total; Tricompartmental knee replacement

Risks:

Risks for any surgery are:

Breathing problems
Infection, including in the lungs, urinary tract, and chest
Bleeding
Heart attack or stroke during surgery

The risks of this surgery are:

Dislocation of the artificial joint
Infection that requires removing the joint
Loosening of the artificial joint over time
Pneumonia
Allergic reaction to the artificial joint
Injury to nerves or blood vessels
Blood clots that may form in your leg (deep vein thrombosis) or your lungs (pulmonary embolism)

Knee joint replacement prosthesis

Knee joint replacement - series

Reviewed last on: 2/9/2009
C. Benjamin Ma, MD, Assistant Professor, Chief, Sports Medicine and Shoulder Service, UCSF Dept of Orthopaedic Surgery. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Crockarell JR, Guyton JL. Arthroplasty of the knee. In: Canale ST, Beatty JH, eds. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2007:chap 6.

Jones CA, Beaupre LA, Johnston DW, Suarez-Almazor ME. Total joint arthroplasties: current concepts of patient outcomes after surgery. Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2007; 33(1): 71-86.

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Knee joint replacement - Risks

Alternative Names

Risks:

References

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