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Risks
By Mayo Clinic staffAs with any surgery, knee replacement surgery carries risks, including:
- Infection
- Knee stiffness
- Blood clots in the leg vein or lungs
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Nerve damage
Risks of serious complications are rare. According to the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons, fewer than 2 percent of people undergoing knee replacement surgery experience serious complications. Put another way, for every 100 knee replacement procedures, one or two people will experience serious complications.
Infection can occur years after surgery
Infection is an ongoing concern. Even years after surgery, bacteria can travel through your bloodstream and infect the surgical site.
Notify your doctor immediately if you notice:
- Fever greater than 100 F (37.8 C)
- Shaking chills
- Drainage from the surgical site
- Increasing redness, tenderness, swelling and pain in the knee
An infected knee replacement usually requires surgery to remove the artificial parts and antibiotics are necessary to kill the bacteria. After the infection is cleared, another surgery is performed to install a new knee. Your chances of a good or excellent outcome that reduces pain and improves function decline with each additional surgery.
Artificial knees can wear out
Another risk of knee replacement surgery is failure of the new knee joint. Subjected to daily stress, even the strongest metal and plastic parts eventually wear out. You're at a greater risk of joint failure if you're a young, obese male or you have complicating conditions.
- Martin GM, et al. Total knee arthroplasty. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 4, 2010.
- Total knee replacement. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00389. Accessed March 4, 2010.
- Crockarell JR, et al. Arthroplasty of the knee. In: Canale ST, et al. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/187318357-3/0/1584/34.html?tocnode=55686206&fromURL=34.html. Accessed March 5, 2010.
- Kaplan RJ. Total knee replacement. In: Frontera WR, et al. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/187318357-3/963204237/1678/74.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-4007-1..50073-0_1167. Accessed March 4, 2010.
- Billante MJ, et al. Knee replacement in aging athletes. In: DeLee JC, et al. DeLee and Drez's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/187318357-5/963235486/2079/63.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3143-7..00023-3--s1630_3895. Accessed March 5, 2010.
- Martin GM, et al. Complications of total knee arthroplasty. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 4, 2010.
- Anesthesia for hip and knee surgery. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00372. Accessed March 5, 2010.
- Minimally invasive total knee replacement. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00405. Accessed March 5, 2010.
- Joint surgery. American College of Rheumatology. https://www.rheumatology.org/practice/clinical/patients/diseases_and_conditions/jointsurgery.pdf. Accessed March 5, 2010.
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