While problems can occur, knee replacement, also called knee arthroplasty, typically has high success rates. Serious problems occur in less than 2% of individuals.
This article discusses possible problems with knee replacement, as well as potential causes and risk factors.
Management of a stiff knee joint after replacement may include appropriate physical therapy and pain management, as well as minor surgical interventions, and, more rarely, revision surgery, or a second knee replacement.
Risk factors for having a stiff knee joint after knee replacement include:
Having a stiff knee joint before surgery Having a previous knee surgery Having another condition, such as diabetes, a lung disease, or depression Not having appropriate pain management and/or physical therapy after surgery
Some potential causes of clicking, clunking, or popping include:
Inflammation in the connective tissue that lines the inside of the joint Implant design Implant breakage Soft tissue moving over the implant
In situations where knee pain or swelling is accompanied by these noises, it is a good idea to contact your surgeon.
Knee replacements are more likely to wear out if:
A younger, highly active individual has the surgery doneAn individual participates in high impact activities, such as running, football, and tennisAn individual carries extra weight, which can place more stress on the implant
Knee replacement infections are generally separated into early and late infections:
Early infections occur within six weeks of the original surgery. They’re typically the result of skin bacteria entering the joint at the time of surgery. Treatment may involve surgical cleansing of the knee joint with appropriate antibiotics administered for several weeks or months. Late infections occur at least six weeks post-surgery. These are usually caused by bacteria in the bloodstream finding their way to the knee joint. These infections can be difficult to cure and typically require the entire knee replacement to be removed.
To decrease the risk of a blood clot, individuals may be:
Placed on blood-thinning medications Shown how to stimulate blood flow in the leg muscles with specific foot and ankle movement Given support hose or compression boots to wear to help with blood circulation
