Total Knee Replacement Complications: Are you at Risk for These Common Total Knee Replacement Complications?

If you are facing a total knee replacement, it’s important to be informed about what kind of complications can occur from the surgery and during your recovery. Total knee replacement is a very common procedure with a high rate of success, the surgery is simple, your recovery fast, and the occurrence of complications is very low. But serious total knee replacement complications, such as a knee joint infection, occur in fewer than two percent of all patients. Major medical complications such as heart attack or stroke occur with even less frequency. If you have a chronic illness, it may increase the potential for complications. Although uncommon, if you experience any of these complications, they can prolong or limit full your recovery.

The most common knee replacement problem is blood clots in your leg veins. Your orthopaedic surgeon will outline a prevention program to ensure that you don’t develop this complication after your knee replacement. Your personal prevention program may include periodic elevation of your legs, lower leg exercises to increase your circulation, wearing special support stockings or inflatable leg coverings (compression boots), and you may be prescribed blood thinner medication to prevent strokes during your recovery. 

Warning signs of possible blood clots in your leg after replacement surgery include increasing pain in your calf, tenderness or redness above or below your knee, or increasing swelling in your calf, ankle, and foot.

It is possible that a blood clot may form and move to your lungs. The warning signs that you need to watch for are sudden increased shortness of breath, the sudden onset of pain in your chest, or localized chest pain with coughing.

A blood clot is not something that you want to ignore, so be vigilant for any of these signs. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience any of these symptoms, they could be signs of a complication of your replacement surgery.

Although our implant designs and materials, as well as surgical techniques, have been optimized over the decades, wear of the bearing surfaces or loosening of the components may occur after your total knee replacement surgery. Additionally, although an average of 115° of motion in your new and improved knee is generally anticipated after surgery, scarring of your knee can occasionally occur, and your motion may be more limited, particularly if you had limited motion before surgery. Finally, although rare, injury to the nerves or blood vessels around your knee can occur during surgery.

It is important to discuss your concerns about problems or complications of total knee replacement thoroughly with your orthopaedic surgeon before your surgery. You can take many steps to ensure a healthy, safe recovery from your total knee replacement.