There are risks associated with any type of surgery, and joint replacement surgery is no different. Some risks are common to all types of surgery, while some post-surgical complications are unique to the joint replacement surgery. Here are the most common complications you might experience.
Post-Surgical Infections
A post-surgical infection is possible anytime you have a surgical operation. There are a lot of factors that might contribute to an infection, and the cause is not always clear. These infections can occur at the incision or in the wound or where the artificial joint meets tissues. It is vital that these infections are treated quickly, so at the first signs you need to call your doctor.
Clotting
Blood clots can occur anytime you have a large or deep wound, such as that left by joint replacement surgery. These blood clots can be dangerous if they travel through the circulatory system. Your doctor will let you know the signs to look for in case you need to call for an immediate examination if you think you have a clot.
Nerve Injury
Although it is very rare, some patients experience nerve damage around the site of the wound. This is a typical risk of general surgery, regardless of the type of procedure. Depending on the nerve damage, you might have resulting pain, or you might feel nothing at all in that area.
Malfunction of Artificial Joint
Unless there was a mistake or unforeseen complication during surgery, your prosthesis should be in good functioning condition for at least a decade, depending on the type of material used to create the joint; but sometimes reinjury or accidents can occur which break, dislocate, or loosen the joint. This usually has to be corrected with another surgery.
If you want to avoid all of these potential complications of joint replacement surgery, contact us today for an appointment to learn about the amazing alternative treatments that we offer.