Post-surgical infections after knee surgery are relatively common, but patients and health care providers can reduce the chance of infection by following standard precautions. According to K.D. Moore and J.M. Cuckler, authors of Arthritis and Allied Conditions: A Textbook of Rheumatology, nearly "one to four out of 200 people develop an infection after knee replacement surgery." Identifying signs of infection after knee surgery may help prevent complications, lead to faster healing and recuperation, and get you back on your feet in no time.
Signs of Infection
Common signs of surgical-site infection (SSI) include, but are not limited to, redness or warmth around the incision site, swelling, fever, chills and pain. A serious sign of infection involves the presence of pus from the incision site. Patients also often complain of pain in the calf muscles.
Defining a Surgical-Site Infection
A doctor, nurse or other adequately trained health care provider can interpret a combination of visual, clinical and laboratory findings to determine the presence of infection following knee surgery. In most cases, such criteria for infections are based on whether they originate from an organ or from an incision space.
Infection Controls
In recent years, measures to decrease SSIs have been beneficial. These include improved surgical techniques, anti-infection barriers, sterile procedures and operating theatres and improved antimicrobial medications. Nevertheless, incidences of infection continue to rise, perhaps due to the growing number of individuals undergoing such procedures.
Preventing Infection
Reducing risk and preventing infections revolves around reducing exposure to microbial contamination of tissue between patient and caregivers, applying stringent measures to sterilize equipment and avoiding unnecessary tissue damage during surgical procedures.
Patient Characteristic Risks
Patients who smoke, suffer from diabetes or use steroids or immunosuppressant drugs are found to experience more post-surgical infections that those who don't. Malnutrition also plays a role in susceptibility to infection, as does age, overall general health and care of wounds following surgery. Following knee surgery, patients are cautioned against soaking in the tub and instead are advised to shower and to keep wounds clean and dry.
