Zimmer Knee Revision Surgery is Painful, Complicated

Many plaintiffs have filed lawsuits against Zimmer Holdings based on the apparently high failure rate of their Zimmer CR-Flex knee replacement systems. Certain models of the implant have been reported to fuse to the femur, resulting loosening of the implant and failure of the device. Many patients who have experienced this needed to undergo knee revision surgery in order to correct the problem – and because of the complications and costs associated with revision surgery, many plaintiffs in the Zimmer knee lawsuit case have been among those whose device failure resulted in the surgery.



Revision surgery is extremely painful and complicated, with a longer healing time than that of primary knee surgery. This is due to the buildup of scar tissue and damaged tissue associated with the first knee surgery, which can complicate things for surgeons. In addition, since the patient is older at the time of the second surgery, this poses even more risks. Bone loss can occur, either as a result of aging or of the effects of the initial knee implant. Some of the conditions, such as loss of bone and tissue quality, that make a revision surgery so complicated are also what contributes to the need for knee replacement surgery in the first place.

During a knee revision surgery, the surgeon must remove knee replacement components that have already been implanted. A larger incision is needed to do this than the incision needed in the primary knee surgery, putting the patient at higher risk for infection. This also requires a somewhat longer healing time.

Revision surgery also necessitates, in many cases, the use of cement as a fixative that will keep the new knee implant in the right place. This can contaminate the bloodstream and the surrounding flesh, potentially causing even more health problems for the patient. Some patients who undergo knee revision surgery may never walk the same again.