Unfortunately, there is no such thing as a risk-free surgery, just as a road accident can always happen. In surgery as well as in driving, complications or accidents can range from the simplest to the most serious and can therefore be life-threatening.

If the anaesthetic consultation has already informed you of the main specific risks (see anaesthetic CS), prosthetic knee surgery involves risks that must be addressed.

Infection is a rare but serious complication.

However, this risk is minimised by preoperative precautions which aim to seek out and treat any unknown source of infection (dental and urinary especially) and to ensure that the skin is impeccable on the day of the operation. Antibiotics will be administered as a preventive measure during the operation. This is called antibiotic prophylaxis.

Infection :

It can occur even long after the surgery by contamination from a remote infection.

To prevent a late infection, you will therefore need to treat infections for the rest of your life and take good care of your skin by avoiding any wounds that would be a gateway for bacteria. You are strongly advised not to smoke during the healing period as smoking significantly increases the rate of infection.

An infection of the prosthesis usually leads to a new surgery.

Post-operative haematoma (blood bag) :

It is rarely embarrassing and exceptionally requires evacuation. It is most often a bruise and is also frequent because bone tissue bleeds easily, all the more so as an anticoagulant treatment is systematic after any knee prosthesis !!! It is therefore important to use an ice bladder on the operating area regularly (for 20 minutes 4 to 5 times a day) and from the post-operative period up to sometimes 3 weeks.

Blood transfusion :

In our experience, it is rare but it may be necessary to consider a blood transfusion during or after surgery. Nowadays, blood products such as bone grafts undergo numerous and very rigorous tests designed to prevent the transmission of certain diseases such as AIDS or hepatitis.

Phlebitis :

This is one or more clots that form in the veins of the lower limbs; these clots can migrate and cause a pulmonary embolism. The potential seriousness of pulmonary embolisms explains the importance of preventing phlebitis. This prevention is mainly based on anticoagulant treatment and the post-operative prescription of support stockings. This complication has been reduced thanks to the rapid lifting within 3 to 4 hours postoperatively, the mobility of the legs encouraged in bed and the rapid recovery. However, caution must be exercised as particular susceptibilities or family pathologies exist and phlebitis can occur despite anticoagulant treatment.

Much more rarely, an intraoperative fracture of the femur or tibia can be seen intraoperative or soon after, which may require additional surgery.

Algodystrophy :

A painful and inflammatory phenomenon that is still poorly understood, it is treated medically and can last several months (or even years), leading to specific treatment with adapted re-education, complementary assessments and sometimes specific pain management. It is unpredictable in its onset as well as in its evolution and potential after-effects.

Stiffness of the knee: the scarring of tissues in the knee can create adhesions which will limit flexion. If this happens in the weeks following the operation, mobilisation of the knee with or without opening under anaesthesia to release the adhesions may be proposed.

A little later :

A loosening of the prosthesis may occur in the medium or long term. This means that the prosthesis may not fit well in the bone and may cause pain. There are several possible causes for this late loosening of the prosthesis.

-They can be mechanical and linked to too much violent and intensive physical activity.

-They may be related to a reaction of the body to the wear debris of the prosthesis.

-They can be linked to an infection of the prosthesis.

The list is not exhaustive and a particularly exceptional complication may occur, linked to local conditions or technical variability.

Not all complications can be specified.

La liste n'est pas exhaustive et une complication particulièrement exceptionnelle peut survenir, liée à l'état local ou à une variabilité technique.

Toutes les complications ne peuvent être précisées.