Revision Knee Replacement

Dr Frank Connon

Dr Connon was awarded the Commonwealth Fellowship to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in London after finishing his advanced orthopaedic surgery training in Australia.

There he spent 6 months treating a variety of patients referred from all over England and internationally with complex joint replacements requiring revision (“re-do”) total knee replacement.

If your knee replacement is painful or unstable after a previous knee replacement, you may require review with Dr Connon to discuss your options.

Revision Knee Replacement Process

Revision Knee Replacement Surgery Recovery

Day of surgery

After your anaesthetic has worn off, you should be able to place full weight on your knee, with crutches or a frame to aid you. It is preferable that if your operation is done earlier in the day, you stand up on the same day as surgery to get used to being upright again.

Day after surgery (“Day 1 Post-op”)

We will try to get you walking, sometimes with a frame, sometimes with only crutches as an aid.

4-7 days

When you are comfortable and once you are able to walk independently and tackle stairs, that’s when you are safe to head home. Everybody is a little different and this timeframe is tailored to you as an individual.

2-3 weeks

After 2-3 weeks, your wound will be checked (usually by a specialist wound nurse). Dr Connon will normally use dissolving suture and glue so no suture removal is likely to be required. After your wound review you should arrange to see your physiotherapist to begin post-operative exercises. We recommend against seeing your physio before the wound review to allow the wound to settle first.

After 6 weeks

From 6 weeks post-surgery, you should be able to return to many normal activities though your knee will definitely still be swollen and a little sore. Please note that the 6 week check-up is to ensure you on-track; you will not be fully healed by this stage. Some patients may be able to drive earlier, notably following a left knee replacement if you have an automatic car.

Surgical Risks

Every surgery has some risks. Whilst the probability of these risks has been shown to be lower in the hands of experienced specialist knee surgeons they are nevertheless a possibility.

Please note that certain risks such as infection are unfortunately higher following revision knee replacement surgery than first-time “primary” knee replacement. Swelling and postoperative discomfort may also be greater than following your original procedure due to the bigger operation required.

Dr Connon will always put your health first and will discuss the potential risks of surgery with you before you book in for any procedure. Before surgery, Dr Connon will assess any risks involved with your current medications, medical history, and require your skin to be healthy. He will also organise a review by a perioperative doctor to optimise your general medical health and monitor you postoperatively.

Some risks present themselves only after surgery, such as infection and DVT. Please don’t hesitate to call Dr Connon’s rooms if you have any postoperative concerns.

Revision Knee Replacement Recovery and Exercises

Physiotherapy is important to your recovery.

Your priority is to maximise your range of movement, both bending and straightening your leg. After a week or two, you can slowly begin increasing your walking distance and building your strength and stability. Note that although the swelling starts to settle after 1-2 weeks it can persist for over 3 months so the use of ice and/or a compression bandage can aid with this and thus improve range of motion.