Joint replacements are truly some of the most successful surgeries at improving quality of life for people with hip and knee arthritis. Although the risk for complications are very low, infections can occur at the surgical site and knowing some strategies to reduce this risk is extremely important.
There are many tools that can be utilized during your joint replacement journey to help limit the risk for infection. Some of these things can be done by you before your surgery such as making sure you are in your best health and you are maintaining proper nutrition and a healthy weight. Your surgeon and hospital will also put into place some “best practices” to help you.
A great deal of research has gone into this area and your team at New Braunfels Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine stays current with the latest scientific evidence. For more information, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has provided a patient handout. AAOS PJI Patient Handout.pdf
Always ask your surgeon about your individual risks for infection and how you can decrease those as you consider joint replacement.
