What Are The Signs That Knee Replacement Surgery Has Failed?

Knee problems have become very common in all age groups. The onset of aging, problems of osteoporosis and escalating obesity levels are leading to rising statistics of people with knee problems. Total knee replacement surgery is one of the most common surgeries, its number coming next only to hip replacement and cataract surgery. The aim of total knee replacement surgery is to minimize the pain, restore the functioning capacity and enhancing the movement of the knee. But many patients seem to be dissatisfied with the results once they start recovering from the surgery. They may complain of stiffness, difficulty in motion,pain, and instability. Such complaints should be taken seriously and the doctor should take responsibility for the painful after-effects of the surgery if it is causing discomfort to the patient.

What steps you should take if you experience pain after the surgery?

First and foremost, the patient must return to the surgeon who performed the surgery. A thorough examination will be helpful in determining the causes.If the patient feels that his problem is not being addressed properly, he can always opt for a second opinion.

Infection

It might be one of the leading causes of discomfiture. An infection may be present without showing symptoms like redness on inflammation. There are chances of infection if you are experiencing fever or chills. Infection at any other place may also trigger an infection in the knee. That’s why it is careful to note if the pain started after contracting an infection in the urinary tract or in respiratory organs.

Metal Allergy

It might be the cause of pain and discomfort in rare cases. It shows up with eczema like symptoms. The rashes may be on a more extreme level. The metal allergy may be due to metallic prosthetics used in the surgery.

Another reason for the patient’s problems might be crystalline arthropathy, a condition in which crystals accumulate in the knee and trigger symptoms which lead the patient to think that there could be an infection.

Loosening of The Implant is another reason for the knee to become swollen. It further causes pain and instability.A component used in the surgery might loosen up after a period of time.A confirmation of such a condition can be obtained by an X-Ray.
Whatever be the reason, it will be detected soon if the doctor goes through the patient’s history and questions about the nature, intensity and any special timing of the pain, if the pain is not persistent. The patient is expected to answer the questions honestly.Sometimes the cause of the problem is very small and has gone unnoticed until the pain is experienced.