The surgeons at Midwest Center for Joint Replacement perform over 1,800 procedures every year, most of which are standard hip and knee replacements. But they also see dozens of patients in need of what is called a joint replacement revision. Most of the revision patients that come through our doors have had their original surgery elsewhere. Though some of these patients come to MCJR with old or worn implants, the majority of them come with the complaint that their original joint replacement “never felt right.” If you begin to feel pain or swelling years after having a joint replacement, you may be a candidate for a revision joint replacement.
What is a revision joint replacement like?
In a revision joint replacement surgery, your surgeon removes some or all parts of the original implant and replaces them. Revision surgeries are more complex than traditional joint replacements because your surgeon has to remove the existing implant–which has likely grown into your bone–and then plan and customize the new implant extensively.
If your entire implant is faulty or worn down, then your surgeon will remove it and replace it with a new one. However, if just a part of your implant needs to be revised, your surgeon will customize an implant to replace what needs to be replaced.
If a part of your bone is damaged by a fall or incident, your surgeon will likely use specialized implants with longer stems to fit deeper into the bone so that your bones will have extra support. In these cases, your surgeon will spend some additional time customizing your implant to ensure stability and durability.
Why would I need a revision joint replacement surgery?
The #1 reason for needing a joint replacement revision is infection. However, some other common reasons include fracture around the implant, loosening of the implant for a variety of reasons, and wear-and-tear from an old implant. These things can happen soon after a joint replacement or after decades of good function.
Some of the most common reasons you may need a revision are:
- History of infection
- Post-op infection rarely occurs, especially at our surgery facilities. But if you get an infection either soon after surgery or years down the road, you will likely need a revision. If you notice significant swelling, tenderness, and redness around your joint, you can call our nurse team (whether you’re a current patient of ours or not!) and they will get you in to see a surgeon.
- Fall or accident
- With aging comes weakening bones and a higher likelihood of injury from falling. If you fall on your implant or experience any accident, come see your surgeon to make sure everything looks ok.
- Obesity
- Although modern implants can last upwards of 20 years, being overweight will wear your joints out faster. According to the Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center, being even 10 pounds overweight increases the force on one’s knees by 30-60 pounds.
- Involvement in high-impact sports
- Many joint replacement patients can happily return to the sports they love. But those who participate heavily in high-impact sports that involve a lot of running may need a revision surgery down the road. This level of impact on an implant can wear it out or loosen it faster.
What should I do if I need a joint revision?
Revision surgeries are more complicated and require greater surgical skill. If you need a revision surgery, you will want a surgeon who has significant experience in complex revision surgeries. Many orthopedic surgeons perform a variety of surgeries every day, but our surgeon team is specialized in one thing: joint replacement. They perform upwards of 10 joint replacement and revision surgeries a day. So what are you waiting for? If you want to learn more about your options for a revision surgery, contact our office. We strive to help each and every patient regain his or her quality of life!