Preventing possible complications of surgery

The complication rate following joint replacement surgery is very low. Serious complications, such as joint infection, occur in less than 2% of patients. Nevertheless, as with any major surgical procedure, patients who undergo total joint replacement are at risk for certain complications— the vast majority of which can be successfully avoided and/ or treated. Possible complications include:

Infection

Infection may occur in the wound or within the area around the new joint. It can occur in the hospital, after the patient returns home, or years later. Following surgery, joint replacement patients receive antibiotics to help prevent infection. For the rest of their lives, they may also need to take antibiotics before undergoing even minor medical procedures to reduce the chance of infection spreading to the artificial joint.

Lung congestion

Pneumonia is always a risk following major surgery. To help keep the lungs clear of congestion, patients are assigned a series of deep breathing exercises.