Here is an excerpt from the latest article, “Decreasing Your Infection Risk,” published by the AAHKS Patient and Public Relations Committee.

Infection is a difficult problem that affects one out of 100 people after joint replacement surgery. If your joint becomes infected after surgery, it usually means additional surgery will be needed to treat the infection. It also means, your results will not be as good as they could be.

Your overall health is very important to prevent infection. Research shows that any health issues made better before surgery could decrease your surgical infection risk. The three most common problems that increase infection risk are obesity, tobacco use and uncontrolled diabetes.

Read the article, and share with your patients at hipknee.aahks.org.