Revision Knee and Hip Replacement Surgery in Hyderabad
A knee or hip replacement that once worked well can, over many years, start to loosen,
wear down or become infected.
When this happens, revision joint replacement, a second surgery to repair or replace
the original implant, may become necessary.
Revision surgery is more complex than a first-time replacement and requires a surgical
team experienced in managing bone loss and altered anatomy from the earlier procedure.
What Is Revision Joint Replacement?
Revision joint replacement involves removing some or all of a previously implanted
knee or hip replacement and replacing it with new components.
Depending on the extent of the problem, this may involve specialised implants designed
to compensate for lost bone, longer stems for added stability, or, in cases of infection,
a staged approach in which an antibiotic spacer is placed before the final implant is
fitted.
Signs Your Knee or Hip Replacement May Be Failing
-
Increasing pain in a joint that had been pain-free since the original surgery
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New swelling, warmth or redness around the joint
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A feeling of instability, as though the joint might give way
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Clicking, grinding or a change in how the joint sounds or feels during movement
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Difficulty bearing weight or a noticeable change in walking pattern
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Persistent low-grade fever alongside joint symptoms, which can point to infection
Any of these symptoms in a patient with an existing knee or hip replacement deserves
prompt specialist evaluation.
Common Reasons Implants Need Revision
Modern joint implants are built to last for decades. Long-term studies report implant
survival rates above 95 percent at ten years and approximately 85 to 90 percent at
twenty years for knee and hip replacements.
Revision becomes necessary in the smaller group of cases affected by:
-
Aseptic loosening: The implant gradually separates from the bone
without infection
-
Plastic liner wear: The plastic component between implant parts
wears down after many years of use
-
Infection: Infection develops around the implant soon after surgery
or several years later
-
Instability or dislocation: The joint becomes unstable or moves
out of position
-
Periprosthetic fracture: The bone around the implant fractures,
often after a fall
-
Malalignment: Uneven alignment from the original surgery places
abnormal stress on the joint
Why Revision Surgery Requires Specialised Expertise
Revision surgery is technically more demanding than a first-time joint replacement.
The surgeon must work around scar tissue, assess how much bone has been lost, and often
use specialised augmented or custom implants to rebuild a stable joint.
Germanten Hospitals' approach to revision cases draws on international collaboration
with Dr. Roland Wetzel, honorary department head for primary and revision hip and knee
joint replacement surgery at University Hospital Munich.
His focus on revision surgery informs the protocols used for managing complex cases in
Hyderabad.
The Revision Surgery Procedure and Recovery
Revision procedures generally take longer than primary joint replacement, often
between two and four hours depending on the complexity of the case.
Patients may require a longer hospital stay so the surgical team can monitor healing
and manage infection risk where relevant.
Recovery is usually slower and more gradual than after a first replacement.
Physiotherapy is adjusted to the specific bone and soft-tissue reconstruction performed
during that patient's surgery.
Why Choose Dr. Jawad and Germanten Hospitals for Revision Joint Replacement?
Dr. Mir Jawad Zar Khan has performed more than 10,000 joint replacement procedures
during a career spanning more than 26 years.
This depth of experience is particularly important in revision cases, where earlier
surgery, bone loss and altered anatomy can make treatment more complex.
Combined with robotic-assisted planning and a dedicated orthopedic rehabilitation team,
Germanten Hospitals is equipped to manage complex revision cases that may require more
specialised resources than a general orthopedic setup can provide.
