New study out today that looked at which patients who were more likely to get complications with knee replacement. A little more than 1 in 10 patients who have a knee replacement suffer a serious complication. The study, not surprisingly, found that age was a major predictor of complications with these invasive knee surgeries. In fact, with every decade of increased age, the knee replacement patients in this study were 40% more likely to have a complication. This makes sense, as the average age for these surgeries is between 60-70, so adding ten years onto those numbers would equal 70-80 and then 80-90. Other studies have also shown that once the patient gets over 80 years of age, the risk factors for knee replacement go way up. Of note, patients who underwent a bilateral knee replacement procedure were 65% more likely to get a complication. This is concerning, as having both knees replaced is becoming increasingly common, as many patients want to “get it all over with in one surgery”. However, two surgeries are bound to be more risky than one. A surprise was that patients that opted for the less invasive epidural anesthesia (numbing the legs through the spine), were 260% more likely to have a complication. Not surprising was that patients with known heart disease were more likely to have a transfusion, more likely to have major knee related complications, including joint infection and/or a major whole body complication, and more likely to require another operation after the initial knee replacement surgery. While many of these risk factors are currently used to counsel patients on whether they should get a knee replacement or not, I think some of these risk factors are less understood by patients. For example, despite many surgeons warning patients about bilateral knee replacement procedures, this practice is becoming more and more common. In addition, moving away from epidural anesthesia for these procedures is a new recommendation. Finally, any patient with a known heart condition should seriously consider whether a very big surgery like knee replacement is a good idea and work with his/her cardiologist on clearance before deciding whether to have a knee replacement surgery.
Who is more likely to have a Complication from a Knee Replacement?
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Chris Centeno, MD
Regenexx Founder
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Shoulder
Many Shoulder and Rotator Cuff injuries are good candidates for regenerative treatments. Before considering shoulder arthroscopy or shoulder replacement, consider an evaluation of your condition with a regenerative treatment specialist.
- Rotator Cuff Tears and Tendinitis
- Shoulder Instability
- SLAP Tear / Labral Tears
- Shoulder Arthritis
- Other Degenerative Conditions & Overuse Injuries
Spine
Many spine injuries and degenerative conditions are good candidates for regenerative treatments and there are a number of studies showing promising results in treating a wide range of spine problems. Spine surgery should be a last resort for anyone, due to the cascade of negative effects it can have on the areas surrounding the surgery. And epidural steroid injections are problematic due to their long-term negative impact on bone density.
- Herniated, Bulging, Protruding Discs
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- SI Joint Syndrome
- Sciatica
- Pinched Nerves and General Back Pain
- And more
Knees
Knees are the target of many common sports injuries. Sadly, they are also the target of a number of surgeries that research has frequently shown to be ineffective or minimally effective. Knee arthritis can also be a common cause for aging athletes to abandon the sports and activities they love. Regenerative procedures can be used to treat a wide range of knee injuries and conditions. They can even be used to reduce pain and delay knee replacement for more severe arthritis.
- Knee Meniscus Tears
- Knee ACL Tears
- Knee Instability
- Knee Osteoarthritis
- Other Knee Ligaments / Tendons & Overuse Injuries
- And more
Spine
Many spine injuries and degenerative conditions are good candidates for regenerative treatments and there are a number of studies showing promising results in treating a wide range of spine problems. Spine surgery should be a last resort for anyone, due to the cascade of negative effects it can have on the areas surrounding the surgery. And epidural steroid injections are problematic due to their long-term negative impact on bone density.
- Herniated, Bulging, Protruding Discs
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- SI Joint Syndrome
- Sciatica
- Pinched Nerves and General Back Pain
- And more
Hand & Wrist
Hand and wrist injuries and arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and conditions relating to overuse of the thumb, are good candidates for regenerative treatments. Before considering surgery, consider an evaluation of your condition with a regenerative treatment specialist.- Hand and Wrist Arthritis
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Trigger Finger
- Thumb Arthritis (Basal Joint, CMC, Gamer’s Thumb, Texting Thumb)
- Other conditions that cause pain
Elbow
Most injuries of the elbow’s tendons and ligaments, as well as arthritis, can be treated non-surgically with regenerative procedures.
- Golfer’s elbow & Tennis elbow
- Arthritis
- Ulnar collateral ligament wear (common in baseball pitchers)
- And more
Hip
Hip injuries and degenerative conditions become more common with age. Do to the nature of the joint, it’s not quite as easy to injure as a knee, but it can take a beating and pain often develops over time. Whether a hip condition is acute or degenerative, regenerative procedures can help reduce pain and may help heal injured tissue, without the complications of invasive surgical hip procedures.
- Labral Tear
- Hip Arthritis
- Hip Bursitis
- Hip Sprain, Tendonitis or Inflammation
- Hip Instability
Foot & Ankle
Foot and ankle injuries are common in athletes. These injuries can often benefit from non-surgical regenerative treatments. Before considering surgery, consider an evaluation of your condition with a regenerative treatment specialist.- Ankle Arthritis
- Plantar fasciitis
- Ligament sprains or tears
- Other conditions that cause pain
