Revision Surgery

Decatur Orthopedic Center is proud to offer Adult Reconstruction, which means we can perform complex and revision joint replacements. In other words, our providers specialize in the less common and often difficult to treat conditions, as well as something that may have gone wrong with the joint replacement.

Most Problems Can be Corrected

Nobody wants to think about anything going wrong with their joint replacement. Nobody wants to think about going through another surgery. This is especially true if there has been difficulty from the beginning. The good news is that most of the time, problems can be corrected, and relief can be achieved. If you are having problems with your joint replacement, whether it is from day one, or if you started having problems years later, we have vast experience diagnosing and properly treating your problem.

Proper Diagnosis

Of utmost importance is a proper diagnosis. This requires a specific stepwise approach, which our physicians carry out nearly the same way with every revision case. This includes meticulous gathering of details, problem specific physical exam, appropriate lab testing, and specialized imaging. With a proper diagnosis, revision surgery may be offered.

Here are the most common conditions that require revision surgery:

• Infection – This can occur shortly after the initial joint replacement or perhaps years later. There are a few options for the surgical treatment of an infected total joint replacement, and there are many details that determine exactly what type of surgery you may require.
• Aseptic loosening – Put most simply, this occurs when the implants start to come loose from the bone (not associated with an infection). There are several causes of this problem. Again, the root cause helps determine the appropriate treatment.
• Instability – Sometimes confused with loosening, in this case the joint itself has too much play or laxity. With the knee we often hear “It gives out on me” and “I cannot trust it.” With the hip, we see repeat dislocations. These require ER visits where the hip is put back in place.

Here are some other conditions, to name only a few, that may require revision surgery:

• Metal on metal hip replacement
• Metal allergy
• Periprosthetic fracture (the bone adjacent to implant breaks)
• A problem with the implant (ie, recall)
• Malposition

Revision surgery is case by case. In some situations, a minimal amount of surgery is required. For example, the patient may simply require a thicker piece of plastic to stabilize an unstable knee. In other situations, the treatment may be much more involved. For example, a patient may have had multiple surgeries that have failed to eradicate an infection. By the time they are under our care, they have lost a significant amount of bone and soft tissue, and a major reconstruction may be required. Sometimes this involves more than one surgery. Should the need arise, please call us at 217-864-2665 for the detailed specialty care provided by Decatur Orthopedic Center.

Treatment Options

• What to Expect with Your Revision Surgery