How do I know if my knee is infected after surgery?

What is normal after knee surgery

• Swelling and warmth for days to weeks, often more after activity
• Bruising down the shin and ankle
• A little clear or pink fluid on the dressing in the first day or two
• A mild temperature in the first 48 hours
• Pain that slowly eases as the days pass

Warning signs of infection

• Pain that is getting worse rather than better after the first few days
• Redness spreading around the wound, or a wound that opens
• Cloudy, yellow or smelly discharge, or fluid that keeps leaking after day three
• The whole knee becoming hotter and more swollen
• Fever above about 38 degrees, chills or sweats
• Losing movement you had gained

After a knee replacement, infection can also appear months or years later, sometimes after an infection elsewhere in the body, with new pain and swelling in a knee that was doing well.

Wound infection or joint infection

A superficial wound infection affects the skin and fat and may respond to wound care and oral antibiotics. A deep infection inside the joint is more serious and usually needs surgery to wash out the knee, plus antibiotics. It can be hard to tell them apart at home, so do not treat yourself: let your surgical team examine it.

Who to contact in Doha

If Dr. Gelber operated on you at Aman Hospital, contact his team the same day with a photo of the wound if possible, and go to the emergency department if you have fever or worsening pain and cannot reach them. Do not start leftover antibiotics: tests, including fluid from the knee, are more accurate before antibiotics begin.