What is the lifespan of an artificial knee joint (knee prosthesis)?

What influences the lifespan of an artificial knee joint?

An artificial knee joint normally lasts 10 to 15 years. However, the lifespan of an artificial knee joint can be negatively influenced by many factors. These can be mechanical as well as immunological causes. These ultimately lead to loosening of the artificial knee joint, resulting in increasing pain on exertion and gait instability.

Mechanical causes

Mechanical causes that have a negative impact on the service life of an artificial joint are increased stress on the joint and deterioration of the original anchoring of the joint in the bone. The joint's own activity plays a decisive role in the overloading of the joint. The more active and, above all, the more joint-straining sports you do, the more strain is placed on the anchoring of the lower leg component of the artificial joint. The more strain is placed on it, the faster it can become loose. You can also imagine a nail in the wall. If it is moved slowly back and forth, it stays in the wall longer than if it is moved back and forth more quickly. Overloading can also occur if the artificial joint is not optimally positioned. Furthermore, the original anchoring of the artificial knee joint in the bone can slowly deteriorate due to an increase in osteoporosis or quickly deteriorate due to a fracture caused by a fall. Both lead to loosening of the artificial knee joint.

Immunological causes

The immunological causes that have a negative impact on the lifespan of the artificial knee joint are infections and allergies.

Infections

These lead to an activation of the immune system with inflammation and weakening of the anchoring. Infections can threaten the artificial knee joint throughout its life. Bacteria can enter the bloodstream via wounds to the skin or mucous membrane, lung infections or bladder infections etc. and settle on the artificial knee joint. There they multiply and lead to an infection. The insidious thing about this is that such an infection is often only noticed after a long period of time. It manifests itself primarily through severe pain and swelling.

Allergies

An allergy can develop in the course of life: the immune system defends itself against the foreign material, which consists of stainless steel (nickel, chromium, cobalt and molybdenum), or its bone glue (cement). This leads to a non-infectious inflammation of the artificial joint with resulting loosening of the joint.

In the event of new stress and movement pain in the artificial knee joint, which does not go away after a short period of time, it is essential to consult an experienced knee specialist.

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