Revisional prosthetic surgeries

A prosthetic revision is required if the partial or complete replacement of the previously implanted prosthesis is necessary for the purpose of improving the quality of life. This could be the result of the loosening or wear of the previously implanted prosthesis, or a fracture that is located next to it. Loosening sometimes may be of inflammatory origin.

Surgeries, which are performed in our Prosthesis Revision Center that is unique in Hungarian private healthcare, have higher risk and require special orthopedic and surgical knowledge compared to primary (first-time) prosthetic interventions. For this purpose, our institute provides a greatly experienced medical team which consists of medical specialists and nurses, an intensive care unit, excellent instrumental infrastructure, and a welcoming and tranquil environment.

When is a revisional prosthetic surgery necessary?

A common reason for the surgery is the mechanical dysfunction of a hip prosthesis that is when the previously implanted implant does not function well, the joint is instable, the hip prosthesis luxates (dislocates) frequently, the implanted components get loose, which leads to a change in their positions and that naturally leads to pain – in many cases, this also happens due to the imperfect position of the original implant.

In case of knee prostheses, the adverse condition may be caused among other things by the implantation of a prosthesis which has an inadequate degree of stability, or it is in an incorrect position, the previously mentioned reasons, and the loosening that develops as a consequence of wear.

In case of both hip or knee prostheses, overweight and an inadequate lifestyle (overloading the prosthesis) could also contribute to wear which necessitates replacement.

Normal wear of prostheses also occurs with intended use, and the lifespan of that varies on a broad scale: their general lifespan is 15-20 years on average, but it can happen that a replacement is not needed for even 40-50 years.

A revisional knee or hip replacement surgery is performed similarly to the first implantation but it puts a greater load on the body, additionally, the duration of the surgery and the recovery takes more time than it took after the first one.

A revisional prosthetic surgery may be performed multiple times with up-to-date systems, given that the bone structure is suitable for it. If the prosthesis causes complaints, and it does not function well, a revisional surgery is beneficial but only if it is recommended by a medical specialist, who assesses the surgical risks and the predictable improvement in the quality of life.