| Dorothy had both knees replaced almost two years | | | | patient is likely to recover faster. |
| ago. She struggled with this decision, discussing her | | | | Having said this there are still many risks of knee |
| options but she had already tried other treatments | | | | replacement surgery even when you have no other |
| such as exercise and pain medication. The physical | | | | choice. |
| therapy and exercise did not work and the pain | | | | Blood Clots |
| medication dulled her thinking and she did not want to | | | | Blood clots in the large veins of the leg and pelvis are |
| live that way. | | | | common after join replacement surgery. Your doctor |
| She was in her mid fifties, relatively healthy, active, | | | | may want you to take blood thinning medications or |
| and she knew herself well enough to realize that | | | | wear a compression stocking to keep the blood in |
| recovery would be painful whatever she decided and | | | | the legs circulating. The concern is that the clot does |
| physical therapy would take time. She also knew | | | | not travel to the lungs and cause a fatal pulmonary |
| myself well enough to realize that having gone | | | | embolism. |
| through one painful recovery she would not want to | | | | Stiffness |
| live through that again for the other knee so she | | | | Scar tissue is formed following surgery both on the |
| decided to do both at the same time. Dorothy is | | | | kin and inside the joint. When a scars contract, a |
| better but she has a problem with one knees and | | | | tightening of the soft tissues around the joint may |
| has returned to therapy twice. Some of her activities | | | | occur which may make it difficult to bend the knee. |
| are limited and her story is still taking place. | | | | That is way good physical therapy begins |
| The decision to have knee surgery depends on your | | | | immediately keeping your knee in motion to prevent |
| age, health, activity level, and of course, how much | | | | stiffness. If stiffness remains, your doctor can do a |
| pain and disability you have. Your doctor may also | | | | manipulation under anesthesia which will break the |
| recommend knee replacement if you have lost a | | | | stiffness but require more physical therapy for you. |
| large amount of cartilage and if you do not have | | | | Implants fail |
| health problems that would make it dangerous for | | | | Overtime your knee implant will be worn out or it |
| you to have surgery. Most of us have knee | | | | may loosen. Most implants last 15 to 20 years but |
| replacement when we can no longer control our | | | | every implant eventually wears out. A replacement |
| arthritis pain with medicine and other treatments and | | | | surgery is usually the next step. |
| when the pain interferes completely with our lives. | | | | Infections |
| To make the decision about surgery make sure you | | | | Infections sometimes occur following the surgery. |
| get the facts, compare your options, know where | | | | They may happen a few weeks later or even in the |
| you are in your life and where you want to go. Most | | | | next year. The goal is to remove the infection |
| people delay knee replacement surgery they believe | | | | without removing the implant. Some patients develop |
| the rehabilitation from the surgery is painful, takes a | | | | urinary tract infections from their hospital stay. |
| lot of time, their insurance probably covers only part | | | | The good news is that risks of serious complications |
| of their therapy and office visits, and there is no | | | | are rare. Fewer than 2 percent of people undergoing |
| guarantee of full recovery in the first place. | | | | knee replacement surgery experience serious |
| The problem is that delaying knee replacement | | | | complications. Keep in mind, however, that infection |
| surgery brings on its own sets of risks which usually | | | | can occur even years after surgery so contact your |
| involve more joint deterioration and increased pain | | | | doctor if you have a lasting fever, drainage from the |
| and lack of mobility. Other risks include muscles and | | | | surgical site and any redness, tenderness, or swelling |
| ligaments becoming weak and making the surgical | | | | and pain in the knee. If antibiotics fail to clear your |
| procedure more complicated because more damage | | | | infection you may need another surgery to remove |
| has taken place. In other words, if surgery is | | | | the infected joint and to install a new one. |
| performed early it may be more successful and the | | | | |