Infection Following Joint Replacement

There are risks associated with every type of medical procedure, including bleeding, blood clots and infection, and knee joint replacement surgery is no exception. However, according to the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons, serious complications following total knee replacements affect fewer than two percent of patients.

Infection is a common concern for people who receive artificial joints. As bacteria and other contaminants regularly flow through your blood, they can infect your artificial knee joint.

Contact your physician at Lancaster Orthopedic Group immediately if you experience chills, drainage from your surgical scar, a fever over 100°, or an increase of pain, tenderness, redness or swelling in the knee.

Pain caused by an infection does not go away with rest, and fluid may begin to build up in the knee joint. Your physician may perform blood tests or draw out fluid from the joint and have it examined in the laboratory to ascertain if an infection is present and how to treat it.

If there is an infection that cannot be resolved with antibiotics, your physician may have to remove part or all of the artificial joint to treat the infection before another one can be implanted.