Even when the scar has healed, there is still healing going on deep inside. This healing process creates heat, which can be felt on the surface and may continue for up to six months. This is a different type of warmth to that of an infection.

Signs of Infection after knee replacement:

• Increased swelling, redness and warmth at the incision site
• Change in colour, amount, an odour of fluid discharge
• Increased pain in the knee
• A high temperature

This information is an extract from ‘A patient’s guide to total knee replacement’, a document created to enhance our patients' recovery after a knee replacement. The complete document is available to download here.