The dangers of failed knee implant surgery

Although hundreds of thousands of people have had their lives improved by knee implant surgery, it is an extended and painful process. And some people have found the surgery disastrous.

In some cases, they have faced complications from errors that occurred during surgery. In other cases, they have had to deal with a “failed” knee implant — one that was either improperly installed or poorly manufactured. It is even possible to have an allergic reaction to the metal or plastic components making up the implanted device.

While any brand of replacement joint can potentially cause a failed implant, the Zimmer NexGen and Smith & Nephew’s Oxinium implants seem to be the most controversial, due to highly publicized recall programs.

Because patients are often in the hospital in the days after knee implant surgery, medical staff often recognize the first signs of complications. These can include urinary retention; multiple complications from general anesthesia; dangerous constipation; bone and muscle damage; and blood-clotting issues, including deep-vein thrombosis. Any of these developments can range from moderately inconveniencing to severe and life-threatening. Serious infections can also result, including infections with drug-resistant pathogens.

In the days and weeks following release from the hospital, the signs of a failing knee implant are more likely to be first noticed by the patient rather than by medical professionals. Some of those symptoms can include swelling and pain; loosening and the feeling of instability in the implant; and the sensation of warmth or burning in the knee. Other symptoms that should alert you to visit your physician are a significant decrease in the joint’s function or flexibility; difficulty walking or standing; and a popping sensation or clicking noise in the knee.

In other cases, wear on the mechanisms of the device, loosening of its component parts, infection at the implant site, or fracture of the attached bones can cause the device to fail. An increase in pain or a decrease in knee function may indicate that your knee implant is failing.

The materials used in a knee implant are not as durable as your natural bone and muscle (and are obviously unable to make repairs, as living tissue can). Nevertheless, the technology is quite robust. One study found that 96 percent of knee replacement implants were still functioning twenty years after the original surgery. All patients will have a different experience, of course. However, it should be a cause for concern if you find your implant surgery failing after just a few years.

Facing revision surgery

Perhaps the most serious complication arising from a failed knee implant is the need for revision surgery. A revision surgery is a medical operation to replace a damaged implant.

The basic risks of revision surgery are the same as those you face when you have the initial implant. Those risks may include infection; deep-vein thrombosis (blood clots in the legs) that can lead to pulmonary embolism (blood clots that have traveled to the lungs); significant pain; nerve damage; injury to blood vessels and bones; and the prospect of a long rehabilitation period after surgery.

Doctors use revision surgery — despite its risks — because the other options for dealing with a failed implant are often worse for the patient’s quality of life. Those options may include knee fusion — which may relieve pain, but sacrifices mobility in the joint — and, in cases of extreme infections, amputation.

What comes next?

Unfortunately, the recent experience with failed joint replacement surgery and medical device recalls has meant avoidable pain and suffering for patients.

As a result, there have been many lawsuits against manufacturers for marketing defective implant systems. If you or a loved one has had a replacement knee or other joint fail within a few years, or if you have had revision surgery, or if your doctor has recommended revision surgery, you may have a legal case against the manufacturer of the device. To protect your interests, you may wish to consult an attorney as soon as your immediate medical needs are addressed.

At Anapol Schwartz (1-866-735-2792), we represent people just like you seeking damages and other relief in the court systems. Most importantly, we have attorneys specialized in legal actionon behalf of patients injured by defective medical devices , including knee implants.

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