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Infection In Knee Due To Total Replacement Surgery. On Antibiotics. On Rehab. Swollen And Red Knee Due To Cycling. Normal?
My husband has an infection in his knee due to total replacement surgery. He is on two types of antibiotics because they don't know what kind of infection he has. He had surgery on 8/16 to clean out the infection and replace the plastic part of the knee that might have bacteria on it. He is in his 4th week of rehab and he is going to the Y and using the bicycle and his knee is now swollen and red. Do you think this is normal due to the exercise?
Fri, 20 Sep 2013
Hi, thanks for writing to HCM.
The chances of complete eradication of infection with joint debridement and polyethylene exchange are very low. I suspect that the cause of swelling and redness in your husbands knee is due to reactivation of the infection.
So, the standard protocol for an infected TKR is 2 staged revision procedure wherein during the 1st stage all the implanted prosthetic components are removed followed by insertion of antibiotic spacers. An appropriate antibiotic has to be given for atleast 6 months period. Once it is confirmed by all means that there is no focus of infection, a revision surgery is performed.
Hope this information is helpful. Good day
The chances of complete eradication of infection with joint debridement and polyethylene exchange are very low. I suspect that the cause of swelling and redness in your husbands knee is due to reactivation of the infection.
So, the standard protocol for an infected TKR is 2 staged revision procedure wherein during the 1st stage all the implanted prosthetic components are removed followed by insertion of antibiotic spacers. An appropriate antibiotic has to be given for atleast 6 months period. Once it is confirmed by all means that there is no focus of infection, a revision surgery is performed.
Hope this information is helpful. Good day
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