Knee Replacement Complications
As with any surgery, knee replacement surgery carries risk of complications, including:
- Infection. This can be a very serious complication. Knee joint infection occurs in fewer than 2% of patients.
- Knee stiffness. In some cases, the ability to bend the knee does not return to normal after knee replacement surgery. Post-surgery scarring can lead to an increasingly stiff knee.
- Thrombophlebitis (blood clots in the leg vein or lungs). Sometimes called Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT), this condition can occur after any operation but is more common after surgery on the hip, pelvis, or knee. DVT occurs when the blood in the large veins of the leg forms blood clots within the veins.
- Heart attack and stroke.
- Nerve damage.
Risks of serious complications are rare. When complications occur, however, they can prolong or limit full recovery.
Risk of Replacement Knee Failure
Another risk of knee replacement surgery is failure of the knee implant. You are at a greater risk of replacement knee failure if you are a young, obese male or have complicating conditions.
Modern implant designs, materials and surgical techniques have been optimized over the years. Subjected to daily stress, however, even the strongest metal and plastic parts eventually wear out. Generally, though, with appropriate activity modification, knee replacements should last for many years.
Zimmer NexGen CR-Flex Knee Failure
In the case of the Zimmer NexGen CR-Flex Porous Femoral knee, physicians contend that the rate of loosening and ultimate failure for NexGen CR-Flex is "unacceptably high." Many knee replacement patients have experienced early loosening of the implant requiring revision surgery.
Sources:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/knee-replacement/MY00091/METHOD=print
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00389
http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/DegenerativeKneeJoint/p12.htm
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