What Are the Treatments for Infection After Knee Replacement?

Infection is a potential complication during recovery from knee replacement surgery.

In knee replacement surgery, your orthopedic surgeon replaces your damaged bones and cartilage with an artificial knee made of plastic and metal. If you develop an infection after surgery, go to your doctor for treatment.

Significance

According to the Mayo Clinic, only 2 percent of patients experience a major complication like infection after undergoing knee replacement. Despite the low risk, infection can still occur years after the initial surgery if the bloodstream carries bacteria to the area.

Infection

Symptoms of an infection after knee replacement surgery include redness and swelling around the incision site, drainage from the wound, and fever and chills.

Antibiotics

Infection after knee replacement surgery can be treated with a course of antibiotics, according to the American Academy or Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Drainage

If your incision site is draining pus or a clear liquid, treatment for infection could include your doctor opening the wound to remove the liquid.

Surgery

If antibiotics do not clear your infection, you could need two more surgeries to complete treatment. In the first surgery, your surgeon will remove your artificial knee. In the next, the surgeon will put in a new replacement knee.

References

• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Knee Replacement
• Mayo Clinic: Knee Replacement
• University of Maryland Medical Center: Surgery Complications