How to Recognize the Risks of Knee Surgery

When considering knee surgery, it is wise to weigh the benefits of the procedure against the risks involved. Hundreds of thousands of knee operations are performed annually, most with no ill effect. Still, it is important to recognize that there are risks in even the simplest and most common type of knee operation.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Recognize The Risks Through Research

1. Prepare for the standard post operative side effects of surgery. You may experience short term memory loss, itching due to anesthesia or narcotic pain relievers, as well as the temporary inability to empty your bladder.

2. Recognize the risk that your knee surgery may not increase your mobility or decrease your pain.

3. Consider the fact that during surgery, damage may be done to arteries and nerves. It is also possible that bones may be fractured or even broken during the procedure.

4. Accept the possibility that a blood clot could develop. Deep vein blood clots can travel to the heart and cause heart attacks and stroke.

5. Comply with your doctor's instructions to lower the risk of problems caused by blood clots.

6. Take blood thinners as prescribed and wear compression stockings to aid in avoiding or eliminating blood clots.

7. Walk under medical direction and supervision as soon as possible and to further diminish the likelihood of blood clots.

8. Guard against infection with antibiotics and coverage of the surgical site. Post surgical infection can be life threatening. It can also necessitate the removal of a knee replacement.

9. Leave all wounds covered as prescribed by your doctor. Even small arthroscopic wounds are susceptible to serious, perhaps fatal, infections.

10. Employ hygienic practices when dealing with your wounds at home. Do not shower, bathe or change your dressings until instructed to do so by your medical team.

11. Understand that severe stiffness in your knee joint can develop quickly.

12. Attack stiffness with daily, intensive physical therapy. Stiffness not addressed via physical therapy may have to be relieved by painful manual manipulation of the affected joint.

13. Know that blood may pool around the site of an incision or implant. Collecting blood can result in painful bruising.

14. Realize that an implant may separate from the bone. Separation is uncommon and depends largely upon the condition of the bone and the success of post operative rehabilitation.

Tips & Warnings

• Knee replacements can become infected years after they are implanted.
• If you have an infection of any kind after your operation, be sure to take the entire course of prescribed antibiotics.
• Consider a routine course of antibiotics if you undergo any surgery after your knee replacement, including dental surgery.

Who Can Help Sponsored

• How to Lose 30+lbs Guaranteed. Try it Free.