Complex and Revision Joint Replacement Surgery
When hip and knee replacements wear out or develop a technical problem such as loosening, bearing wear, infection or recurrent dislocation. Many general Orthopaedic surgeons will refer the patient to a specialist in hip and knee reconstruction such as Mr Bennett. Mr Bennett has extensive experience in the treatment of complex hip and knee problems and has lectured extensively in Ireland and abroad on this topic. In the event that a hip or knee replacement implant has become problematic, the first step is always to identify the root cause. Once this has been determined a treatment plan can be instituted. This may take the form of further surgery to remove and replace an implant which is not functioning satisfactorily. Although much more extensive than primary hip and knee replacements revision surgeries are also performed using the Rapid Recovery process which minimizes pain and physiological disturbance for the patient. The principals of preserving bone and minimizing injury to muscles and ligaments around the joint are observed. Depending on the cause of the problem with the hip or knee implant, revision surgery may take 2-5 times the length of a primary hip or knee operation. Length of stay in hospital is generally much longer than with primary hip or knee replacement.
