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ARTHRITIS OF THE KNEE JOINT
Total knee replacement implants may fail after
10 to 15 years, or occasionally sooner. The parts may
come loose or they may wear out. In either case an operation
will be required to replace the damaged part or even
the entire implant.
| Revision surgery
is much more complex and technically much more
difficult than first-time surgery, and requires
prolonged operating time. |
It may also require an increase in the length
of the hospital stay. The magnitude of this surgery depends
on the difficulty of prosthesis removal and on the quality
and quantity of bone left behind after the implant has
been removed. The revision operation may require bone
grafts from a bone bank to be used. A custom prosthesis
is sometimes needed (a prosthesis specially manufactured
for a specific patient). Patients who have had knee revision
operations are frequently advised to continue the use
of a full-time support (such as a cane), in order to
protect the replacement. This is especially true of those
who are younger than 70, have higher activity levels,
increased weight, and other stress factors.
| These complex
operations are much riskier than first-time knee
replacement surgeries. All the risks associated
with first-time knee replacement are present,
but the chances of these complications occurring
are greatly increased. |
There is a chance that your leg may be shorter
than it was before the operation, there is also a great
risk that the alignment of the leg will not be entirely
normal. There is also a good chance that the range
of motion in the knee will be much less than after
a first-time knee replacement. These technically
demanding operations should be performed by a surgeon
skilled and experienced in both first-time knee replacement
surgery and revision surgery.
On to the
Next Section of the Manual
Complications of Knee Replacement Surgery
Arthritis
of the Hip Joint
copyright © 2005 Herbert D. Huddleston,
MD.
Arthritis of the Knee Joint copyright
© 2005 Herbert D. Huddleston, M.D.
Dr. H.D. Huddleston
The Hip and Knee Institute
5525 Etiwanda Ave., #324
Tarzana, CA 91356
Tel: 818.708.9090
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