Risks of Total Knee Replacement Baltimore MD

Over the past half century or so, orthopedic surgeries to replace worn out joints and otherwise repair parts of the body's skeletal system have become much more common and sophisticated.  In fact, these surgeries, including the total knee replacement Baltimore MD, are currently among the safest surgeries available.  They also have very high patient satisfaction ratings.  This is not to say that a knee replacement operation comes without any risks to the patient.  It is impossible to say with certainty what the risks are and how likely they are to occur because each patient comes with their own unique profile of related issues.

Common Risks of Total Knee Replacement Baltimore

 These are a few things all potential total knee replacement procedure Baltimore (https://www.medstarunionortho.org) that patients should consider before scheduling a surgery date:

• One possible complication of a knee replacement and the related recovery process is a blood clot in the leg.  If this blood clot breaks loose and travels to the lungs, a pulmonary embolism may result.  Pulmonary embolisms are often fatal.  Good pre-surgery testing and post-operative care can decrease the likelihood of a blood clot.  Patients who are willing to move around immediately after surgery lessen their risk of suffering a blood clot.

• A urinary tract infection is another post-surgical risk.  It is almost always caused by bacteria getting into the catheter that is used to empty the bladder during and right after surgery.  Again, individuals who are up and moving as soon as possible have a decreased risk of urinary tract infection because they can use the rest room independently and have the catheter removed sooner.

• Some folks experience nausea and vomiting as a reaction to the drugs given to induce general anesthesia.  This is almost always a transient issue that resolves once the drugs have been fully metabolized.  It is, however, necessary for knee replacement patients to resume eating, drinking, and eliminating waste normally before discharge from the hospital is considered.

• All patients who undergo a general anesthetic run some risks.  These can include damage to the heart, liver, lung and kidneys.  A very, very small amount of individuals have very severe reactions to general anesthetic, even if they have been successfully anesthetized at a previous time.