Surgical Risks

Possible risks and complications include:

• Infection. Superficial infection is not very common, but can happen. It usually presents as redness and increased pain around the wound and generally resolves with a short course of antibiotics.

• Deep Infection. Deep infection is rare however it will usually present between 5 to 10 days post operation. You may experience increasing pain, swelling and marked decreased range of movement. If a deep infection occurs you will need an admission to hospital to wash out the joint and commence intravenous antibiotics as soon as possible.

• Bleeding. Excessive bleeding to the point of requiring blood transfusion is uncommon in orthopaedic surgery. Some procedures such as revision joint replacement or complex fracture management may increase this risk. Your risk of significant bleeding is reduced by varying the type of anaesthesia as well as altering certain medications.
  

• Wound Healing. An issue that increases with smoking, diabetes and poor circulation.

• Stiffness. Joint stiffness may occur after surgery. It is important to follow your rehabilitation protocol to encourage improvement in strength and range of motion of the joint operated on. In rare cases a manipulation or further arthroscopic review may be required.

• Blood Clots. Blood clots can form deep in the veins of the leg or lungs (pulmonary embolus), affecting your breathing. In the event of a large clot in your legs (DVT) or lungs, you will need to take longer term blood thinning medications until the clots resolve.

• Fracture. This is rare, however can occur during or after surgery due to additional stresses on the surrounding bone. It can lead to prolonged recovery and possible further surgery.

• Dislocation. Or instability of the implanted joint may occur if it is moved incorrectly beyond its recommended restrictions whilst healing. It is important to be vigilant during the first three months after surgery as this is when the muscles surround the implant are weak.

• Nerve Injury. Depending on the location of surgery, nerve injury is possible, however overall risk is low with permanent injury rare. Numbness or pins and needles, occasionally pain or muscle weakness may be experienced. Some procedures are more prone to nerve injury than others. It is very common to have some minor or partial loss of sensation around the surgical wound however this is not considered a complication per se.

• Swelling. Although normal and improves with time, it can persist past 12 months.

• Loosening of Prosthesis. Rarely occurs, however failure of the component to bond to your bone may occur and may require re-operation.

• Component Wear. Wear and tear of the prosthesis rarely occurs, however results in cyst formation around the implant (osteolysis) and may require re-operation.

• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. This is a ‘deregulation of the nervous system that controls the vessels’ leading to pain, swelling and can result in stiffening of the joint. It is a complication that occurs and develops in an inconsistent and unpredictable way. Treatment is based on a combination of medicines and gentle specialised rehabilitation. The progression can be over several months.