Following successful Total Knee Replacement, 90% of patients are leading a symptom-free life at 20 years. However, complications do occur. The commonest of them all is Infection, which if detected early can be controlled with appropriate antibiotics. In the long term, aseptic loosening can occur, leading to bone loss and recurrence of pain. Occasionally, these patients need Revision of the Knee Implant, which means another surgery.
Revision knee replacement is technically demanding, needs careful planning and also a variety of add-on in terms of implant accessories will need to be made available in the operating theatre before commencing surgery. We routinely perform Revision surgery at our hospital for those patients who need it. Another common complication we see is a fracture of the bone near the site of the implant, on the rare occasion when a patient falls down on landing/twisting on the operated leg This needs a special plating technique with the Locking compression plate technique.
The longevity of Revision implants is generally lesser than those of conventional knee replacements and typically lasts for about 10-15 years only. The cost of Revision surgery is variable depending on the customization of the implant required, antibiotic usage, and other co-morbid conditions.
