Patient guide
Knee Surgery Risks & Limitations
Every surgical plan involves tradeoffs. Discuss risks for your health and the actual procedure being proposed, including what might not improve.
What can go wrong?
General knee replacement risks include infection, blood clots, injury to nearby nerves or blood vessels, and continuing pain, stiffness, or instability. Some problems require further treatment or surgery. These are general risks, not measured complication rates for the technique shown here.
What remains uncertain?
An anatomical target or animation is not proof of better outcomes. Ask for research relevant to the operation, patient group, comparator, and follow-up being discussed. Individual results cannot be guaranteed.
Know whom to call
Follow your discharge instructions. Contact your care team promptly about fever, worsening wound redness or drainage, or increasing calf pain or swelling. Chest pain or trouble breathing can be an emergency: seek emergency help immediately.
Ask at your consultation
- Which complications are most relevant to me?
- What are your results and how are they measured?
- What symptoms need an urgent call, and who answers after hours?
Keep exploring
All patient guidesYour consultation checklistFind a surgeonGeneral education with source links. These references describe knee replacement broadly; they do not establish results for the specific technique presented on this site. Individual advice comes from your care team.