Side Effects of Knee Replacement

Knee replacement surgery is a procedure in which damaged knee joint surfaces are replaced with prosthetic implant materials designed to restore normal joint mechanics. Although knee replacement is a fairly straightforward surgical procedure, you may experience side effects.

Infection

• Knee replacement surgery involves exposing your joint via a large, deep incision, which can sometimes become infected and require aggressive antibiotic treatment.

Swelling

• Swelling, sometimes severe, of the soft tissues and muscles surrounding your replaced knee joint is a common side effect of replacement surgery. The deep incision made during surgery to expose your knee joint causes extensive soft-tissue trauma, which results in swelling.

Stiffness

• Your replaced knee may remain quite stiff in the days and weeks following surgery, due to surgical trauma to the soft tissues and muscles. Stiffness generally abates as these tissues heal and inflation lessens.

Blood Clots

• Blood clots, although rare, can sometimes develop in a leg during knee replacement surgery. Blood clots normally cause swelling and pain in the leg, and in severe cases, can travel to other parts of the body, such as the heart and lungs.

Pain

• Although you should expect knee pain after knee replacement surgery, pain can sometimes persist or fail to wane in the aftermath of the surgery. This is often times due to infection or implant problems.