How to Avoid Joint Replacement Surgery Complications
Learn tips to lower the risk of joint replacement surgery complications, such as infection of the surgerical site or blood clots.
Joint replacement surgery is a very common procedure. As safe and common as they are, every surgery has the chance of risks. You can reduce your risk of joint replacement surgery complications by following your surgeon’s recommendations before and after the surgery, by looking for signs of an infection or other complications, according to Ann Marie Moynihan, RN, Director of Nursing at NYU Langone Health.
There are a number of potential risks that could happen after hip or knee replacement surgery, according to William Macaulay, MD, Orthopedic Surgeon at NYU Langone Health. However, “the good news is that [the majority of patients] go through their procedure without a major medical or surgical complication," he says.
- Ann Marie Moynihan, RNAnn Marie Moynihan, RN, served as the Director of Nursing at NYU Langone Health in New York City. She is currently the Vice President for Patient Care Services and Chief Nursing Officer at Saint Joseph's Medical Center/St. Vincent's Hospital Westchester Division,
- William Macaulay, MDWilliam Macaulay, MD, is an Orthopedic Surgeon at NYU Langone Health in New York City.
References
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. (2021). Total joint replacement.
Erens, G.A. (2024). Complications of total hip arthroplasty. UpToDate.
Martin, G.M. (2023). Total knee arthroplasty. UpToDate.