Hip Replacement Wound Infection

You ll be given antibiotics.

Hip replacement wound infection. Joint replacement infections may occur in the wound or deep around the artificial implants. When infection occurs at the surgical site the body sends blood cells to fight the infection at the incision. In these cases bacteria can adhere to the implant itself which makes the infection difficult to treat. Symptoms include fevers more than 101f chills excessive redness cellulitis opening wound edges and others.

Sometimes after surgery knee replacement infection or joint replacement infections can occur. How common is a hip replacement infection. A small percentage of patients undergoing hip or knee replacement roughly about 1 in 100 may develop an infection after the operation. Hip replacement is a very common operation that is effective at providing pain relief and improving mobility however infection can sometimes occur following joint replacement.

It depends on when the infection occurs. No surgical procedure is without risks however. Symptoms of hip replacement infection. Symptoms may include a fever and pus or clear liquid oozing from the wound.

It may even occur years later. This is why a hip replacement infection can develop even if you recovered from surgery infection free. Very rarely the hip replacement may need to be washed out or a new replacement may be used. If it happens within a few weeks of the hip replacement surgery doctors will actually re open the wound.

The pain at the surgical incision should decrease as the incision heals. Infection may occur in the wound or deep around the prosthesis. The major signs of a surgical site infection are pain fever and changes in the appearance of the incision and surrounding skin. Any infection in your body can spread to your joint replacement.

Joint replacement infections are a very dangerous surgical complications after knee and hip replacement. Minor infections in the wound area are generally treated with antibiotics. But in less than 1 in every 100 operations an infection may still happen. You can prevent an infection by taking proper care of the surgicalincision.

An infection may develop during your hospital stay or after you go home. What are the most common outcomes of a hip replacement infection. There is an estimated 0 5 to 1 risk of an infection following a hip replacement. There should be no clear discharge from the wound after 10 days and if there is you must inform your doctor.

Learn more about preventing infection after hip replacement or knee replacement. Hip replacement surgery is done in an ultra clean operating theatre and antibiotics are given during the operation. Standard treatment for joint infection is to remove the joint.