Risks and Complications

Any surgical operation puts you at risk of a complication, risk or side effect. Some operations such as joint replacement surgery and ligament reconstruction have risks specific to the operation.

All knee operations will give you a scar on your knee, once the skin has been cut there is a risk of bacteria causing an infection within your knee or the wound which may require another operation to treat.

Operations on your legs carry a risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) which can cause severe swelling and pain in the leg, occasionally lasting for months or years. If the thrombosis travels to your chest and lungs it can be very serious and potentially fatal. Because of this risk you may be put on a blood thinning medication for up to two weeks following your surgery depending on your individual risk factors and the operation itself.

Every surgical procedure puts you at risk of damage to blood vessels and nerves in the area being operated on. The scar at the front of your knee often results in a small area of numbness on the outside of the front of the knee, some patients find this irritating especially when kneeling.