Knee replacement (artificial knee joint), reoperation

Frequency of necessary, early reoperations (2-year reoperation rates)

An artificial knee joint should allow patients to move without pain for at least 15 to 20 years. Nevertheless, around 3.3% of patients require follow-up operations within two years of the first operation. These so-called knee joint revisions are often necessary due to problems with the kneecap, instability or post-operative infections.

Such reoperations should be avoided as far as possible, as they are more demanding and often do not produce the desired result.

The frequency of these premature reoperations varies from hospital to hospital. For patients who require an artificial knee joint, it can therefore be helpful to consider the 2-year reoperation rates when choosing a hospital.

In Switzerland, these figures are recorded by a national implant register, which documents almost all of the approximately 15,000 knee prosthesis operations performed each year. Reliable data is available from a total of 119 hospitals and clinics and almost 53,000 operations.

Ten hospitals/clinics achieved significantly better results, i.e. lower 2-year reoperation rates. These are labelled with green ratings in the list of the best. Two clinics are even highly significantly better. These are the Universitätsklinik Balgrist and the Schulthess Klinik - both in Zurich. The latter has an impressively low reoperation rate of 1.5% for almost 560 knee prostheses per year. As the smaller clinics can also be a little lucky for statistical reasons, the Schulthess Klinik is the real front-runner for us.

Significantly worse results, i.e. more frequent reoperations, were found at five hospitals (red ‘grades’ in the list of the best). Unfortunately, three hospitals even stand out with highly significant poorer results. These are the Clinique CIC Montreux in Clarens, the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV, Lausanne / Bugnon site) and the Regionalspital Surselva in Ilanz. In these hospitals, the risk of reoperation within two years is significantly higher - in some cases many times higher.

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Best hospitals for knee replacement (artificial knee joint), reoperation

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#1: Universitätsklinik Balgrist, Zürich

  4.8

1,2% 

#2: Schulthess Klinik, Zürich

  4.7

1,5% 

#3: Clinique Générale-Beaulieu, Genève

  5.0

0,5% 

#4: Kantonsspital Graubünden, Chur

  4.8

1,2% 

#5: Luzerner Kantonsspital, LUKS (Standort Kantonsspital Luzern)

  4.8

1,3% 

#6: Hôpital de La Tour, Meyrin

  4.7

1,5% 

#7: Hirslanden Klinik Aarau

  4.4

1,9% 

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#8: Sonnenhofspital (Lindenhof AG), Bern

  4.3

2,1% 

#9: Kantonsspital Winterthur

  4.3

2,1% 

#10: Privatklinik Obach, SMN, Solothurn

  4.3

2,1% 

#11: Les Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève HUG (groupe)

  4.3

2,1% 

#12: Berit Klinik, Speicher

  3.9

2,4% 

#13: Clinique des Grangettes, Chêne-Bougeries

  5.0

0,0% 

#14: Inselspital Bern (Teil der Insel Gruppe)

  4.9

0,9% 

#15: Kantonsspital Glarus

  4.9

1,0% 

#16: Spitalzentrum Biel

  4.7

1,5% 

#17: Clinica Luganese SA Sede Moncucco

  4.7

1,5% 

#18: Spital Männedorf

  4.6

1,6% 

#19: Hôpital du Valais / Spital Wallis (site Hôpital de Martigny)

  4.6

1,6% 

#20: Asana Spital Menziken

  4.6

1,6% 

#21: Spital Interlaken (Spitäler FMI AG), Unterseen

  4.5

1,8% 

#22: Klinik Villa im Park, Rothrist

  4.5

1,8% 

#23: Clinique Montbrillant, La Chaux-de-Fonds

  4.4

1,9% 

#24: HFR - Hôpital fribourgeois (Site Hôpital de Fribourg)

  4.4

1,9% 

#25: Kantonsspital Frauenfeld (Spital Thurgau AG)

  4.4

1,9% 

#26: Hôpital de St-Imier, Swiss Medical Network

  4.3

2,0% 

#27: Kantonsspital Schaffhausen (Spitäler Schaffhausen)

  4.2

2,1% 

#28: Spital Brig (Hôpital du Valais / Spital Wallis)

  4.2

2,1% 

#29: Clinique la Prairie, Clarens

  4.2

2,1% 

#30: Universitätsspital Basel (USB)

  4.2

2,1% 

#31: Spital Bülach

  4.2

2,2% 

#32: Kantonsspital Obwalden, Sarnen

  4.1

2,2% 

#33: Stadtspital Triemli, Zürich

  4.1

2,2% 

#34: Clinique Bois­Cerf SA - Hirslanden, Lausanne

  4.0

2,3% 

#35: AMEOS Spital Einsiedeln

  4.0

2,4% 

#36: Spital Sursee (Luzerner Kantonsspital)

  4.0

2,3% 

#37: Clinique de La Source, Lausanne

  3.9

2,4% 

#38: Hôpital Riviera-Chablais, Vaud Valais - HRC (Site de Rennaz)

  3.9

2,5% 

#39: Spital Uster

  3.8

2,5% 

#40: Spital Wolhusen (Luzerner Kantonsspital)

  3.8

2,5% 

#41: Spital Linth, Uznach

  3.7

2,6% 

#42: Groupement Hospitalier de l`Ouest Lémanique - GHOL (groupe), Nyon

  3.6

2,7% 

#43: Spital Dornach (Solothurner Spitäler AG)

  3.5

2,8% 

#44: Spital Zofingen

  3.5

2,8% 

#45: Praxisklinik Rennbahn, Muttenz

  3.4

2,8% 

#46: Merian Iselin Klinik, Basel

  3.4

2,8% 

#47: Kantonsspital St. Gallen (Standort St. Gallen)

  3.1

3,0% 

#48: Spital Aarberg (Teil der Insel Gruppe)

  3.1

3,0% 

#49: AndreasKlinik - Hirslanden, Cham

  3.0

3,1% 

#50: Kantonsspital Nidwalden, Stans

  3.0

3,1% 

#51: Klinik im Park - Hirslanden, Zürich

  2.9

3,2% 

#52: Klinik Seeschau, Kreuzlingen

  2.9

3,2% 

#53: Spital Burgdorf (Regionalspital Emmental AG)

  2.8

3,2% 

#54: Hirslanden Klinik Birshof, Münchenstein

  2.8

3,2% 

#55: Klinik Pyramide am See, Zürich

  2.7

3,3% 

#56: Privatklinik Siloah (Swiss Medical Network), Gümligen

  2.7

3,3% 

#57: Clinique Générale Ste-Anne, SMN, Fribourg

  2.6

3,3% 

#58: Spital Limmattal, Schlieren

  2.6

3,4% 

#59: Spital Schwyz

  2.6

3,4% 

#60: EOC Ente ospedaliero cantonale (Ospedale di Locarno)

  2.6

3,4% 

#61: Clinica Ars Medica, SMN, Gravesano

  2.6

3,4% 

#62: EOC Ente ospedaliero cantonale (Ospedale di Mendrisio)

  2.5

3,5% 

#63: Lindenhofspital (Lindenhof AG), Bern

  2.4

3,5% 

#64: Spital Langenthal (SRO Spital Region Oberaargau AG)

  2.4

3,5% 

#65: Kantonsspital Aarau

  2.2

3,6% 

#66: Hirslanden Klinik am Rosenberg, Heiden

  2.2

3,7% 

#67: Etablissements Hospitaliers du Nord Vaudois - eHnv (site Hôpital d'Yverdon-les-Bains)

  2.1

3,7% 

#68: Kantonsspital Uri, Altdorf UR

  2.1

3,7% 

#69: Hôpital de Moutier, Swiss Medical Network

  2.1

3,7% 

#70: Klinik Gut AG (Standort Fläsch)

  2.1

3,7% 

#71: Spital Zollikerberg

  2.1

3,7% 

#72: Clinique la Colline - Hirslanden, Genève

  2.0

3,8% 

#73: Spital Rheinfelden (Gesundheitszentrum Fricktal)

  1.9

3,8% 

#74: Klinik Hirslanden Zürich

  1.8

3,9% 

#75: EHC Ensemble hospitalier de la Côte (Site de Hôpital de Morges)

  1.8

3,9% 

#76: Salem-Spital (Hirslanden Bern AG)

  1.8

3,9% 

#77: Spital Olten (Solothurner Spitäler AG)

  1.7

4,0% 

#78: Klinik Permanence (Hirslanden Bern AG)

  1.6

4,0% 

#79: GZO Spital Wetzikon

  1.6

4,0% 

#80: Privatklinik Lindberg, Winterthur

  1.6

4,0% 

#81: Spital Grabs (Spitalregion Rheintal Werdenberg Sarganserland)

  1.6

4,1% 

#82: Etablissements Hospitaliers du Nord Vaudois - eHnv (site Hôpital de Saint-Loupe), Pompaples

  1.3

4,3% 

#83: Spital Lachen, Lachen SZ

  1.3

4,3% 

#84: Clinique de Valère, SMN, Sion

  1.3

4,3% 

#85: Hirslanden Klinik Linde, Biel

  1.2

4,3% 

#86: Hôpital du Jura (Site de Delémont)

  1.2

4,4% 

#87: Klinik Gut AG (Standort St. Moritz)

  1.2

4,4% 

#88: Kantonsspital Baden (Kantonsspital Baden AG)

  1.1

4,5% 

#89: Clinique de Genolier

  1.1

4,5% 

#90: Spital Thun (Spital Thun-Simmental-Saanenland AG)

  0.9

4,7% 

#91: Rosenklinik, Rapperswil-Jona

  0.9

4,7% 

#92: Hirslanden Klinik St. Anna, Luzern

  0.8

4,7% 

#93: Clinique CIC Saxon

  0.8

4,7% 

#94: Spital Walenstadt (Spitalregion Rheintal Werdenberg Sarganserland)

  0.8

4,8% 

#95: Kantonsspital Münsterlingen (Spital Thurgau AG)

  0.7

4,9% 

#96: Privatklinik Bethanien, Zürich

  0.6

5,0% 

#97: Privatklinik Belair, SMN, Schaffhausen

  0.6

5,0% 

#98: Bruderholzspital (Kantonsspital Baselland)

  0.5

5,2% 

#99: Bürgerspital Solothurn (Solothurner Spitäler AG)

  0.4

5,3% 

#100: Spital Frutigen (Spitäler FMI AG)

  0.3

5,5% 

#101: Hirslanden Klinik Stephanshorn, St. Gallen

  0.3

5,6% 

#102: EOC Ente ospedaliero cantonale (Ospedale di Lugano)

  0.2

6,0% 

#103: Spital Herisau (Spitalverbund AR)

  0.2

6,0% 

#104: Hôpital Intercantonal de la Broye - HIB (site de Payerne)

  0.2

6,1% 

#105: Zuger Kantonsspital, Baar

  0.1

6,3% 

#106: Spital Langnau (Regionalspital Emmental AG), Langnau im Emmental

  0.1

6,7% 

#107: Spital Riggisberg (Teil der Insel Gruppe)

  0.1

6,8% 

#108: Stadtspital Waid, Zürich

  0.1

6,9% 

#109: Réseau Hospitalier Neuchâtelois RHNe (site de Pourtalès)

  0.1

12,0% 

#110: Hôpital de la Providence, SMN Neuchâtel

  0.7

4,9% 

#111: Stiftung Spital Muri, Muri AG

  0.3

5,5% 

#112: Asana Spital Leuggern

  0.2

5,8% 

#113: Klinik Hohmad, Thun

  0.2

6,1% 

#114: Spital Davos Akutabteilung, Davos Platz

  0.1

13,0% 

#115: CHUV Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (site de Lausanne / Bugnon)

  0.2

5,8% 

#116: Clinique CIC Montreux, Clarens

  0.1

6,8% 

#117: Regionalspital Surselva, Ilanz

  0.1

9,0% 

Profile of the key figure knee replacement (artificial knee joint), reoperation

• Time of data collection: 01.01.2018 - 31.12.2021
• Source: Swiss National Association for Quality Development in Hospitals and Clinics (ANQ), Quality indicators hospitals
• Direct link to source not available in English - view it in German or in French
• Direct link to the quality report (pdf)
• Department: Acute care

About the indicator «Re-operation rates»

Mesuré en tant que taux de réopération ajusté au risque pour les premières implantations d'endoprothèses (hanche artificielle, genou artificiel) dans les deux ans - par hôpital.

Strengths:

Re-operations after the insertion of prostheses are risky for patients and are associated with additional suffering. A low re-operation rate provides a reliable indications of optimal surgical techniques and procedures, the use of the best possible prosthesis products, and high-quality follow-up care.
The re-operation rates (implant register) are risk-adjusted by the Foundation for Quality Assurance in Implant Medicine SIRIS with various additional measurements (age and gender, BMI, ASA-Sore and Charnley classification). This elaborate form of risk adjustment meets high scientific standards.

Limits:

Re-operation rates are only meaningful when a hospital has a sufficient number of cases. In the case of small hospitals, nothing can be said with certainty (whereby small case numbers are considered unfavourable in terms of good quality anyway). In order to achieve statistically sufficient case numbers, observations are made over two years. This means that the figures are already two to four years old when they are published. It is therefore possible that a hospital that performs poorly could have its quality improved in the meantime and vice versa.

There are patient-ratings about this topic

Important note: We can check patient feedbacks only superficial. They might be not objective.
  I am concious of that and wish to read the patients ratings.

Ratings from patients about this topic:

 verified rating about the Spital Thun-Simmental-Saanenland AG (Gruppe)

 

About the surgery:

Knee joint. Everything was perfect, no problems, great staff, no problems. Until then, get well soon! (surgeon: Dr. Hess)

transl. from german, inpatient treatment in Dec.2024, date of rating: 29.12.2024

 verified rating about the Salem-Spital, Bern

Medical malpractice with knee prosthesis. Now leg amputated 

transl. from german, date of rating: 15.11.2024

 verified rating about the Rosenklinik, Rapperswil-Jona

Very good clinic, I was treated very well in every respect. The follow-up treatment in the very nice room was also very good. I can only highly recommend the Rosengarten Clinic. And when you are at home, the care team (Mrs. A. Huser) looks after your well-being. 

About the surgery:

New left knee joint. Everything is going really well so far. Surgery was on 9/11/24, followed by rehab and back home since October 3, 24. (surgeon: Dr. Philipp Neidenbach)

transl. from german, inpatient treatment in Sep.2024, date of rating: 08.10.2024

 verified rating about the Universitätsklinik Balgrist, Zürich

 

About the surgery:

knee joint inserted

transl. from german, inpatient treatment in Jun.2023, date of rating: 24.09.2023

 verified rating about the Sonnenhofspital, Bern

Very good care. Well organized 

About the surgery:

Knee prosthesis went without any problems, quick recovery, good advice (surgeon: Dr. Mees Chardtin)

transl. from german, inpatient treatment in Nov.2020, date of rating: 21.05.2023

 verified rating about the Spital Uster

Everything was perfectly organized from entry to exit. Very nice staff. Very good care. Very good food 

About the surgery:

Artificial knee joint (surgeon: Dr. Jean-Claude Küttel)

transl. from german, inpatient treatment in Dec.2022, date of rating: 09.12.2022

 verified rating about the Schulthess Klinik, Zürich

I had a knee TEP (complete artificial knee joint) three years ago and have been free of symptoms ever since. 

About the surgery:

The explanation and preparation for the operation was perfect. The surgery went very well and so did the healing process and subsequent rehabilitation. (surgeon: Dr. Laurent Harder)

transl. from german, inpatient treatment in Sep.2019, date of rating: 10.11.2022

 verified rating about the Klinik Hirslanden Zürich

Unfortunately, my knee prosthesis has to be replaced after 15 months. Got a second opinion. The comment from the new surgeon was "Unfortunately, this was not a masterpiece". No compliments for the Endoclinic. 

About the surgery:

Very well for 5 months after the operation, then severe pain began. I was accused of not doing enough training, no further check was made. According to the physiotherapist, the exercises were too difficult for a 75-year-old patient. (surgeon: Dr. Felix Rapp)

transl. from german, inpatient treatment in Jan.2020, date of rating: 13.06.2021

 verified rating about the Clinique Valmont, Glion

 

inpatient treatment in Nov.2018, date of rating: 28.07.2020

 unverified rating about the Schulthess Klinik, Zürich

I always received good advice and when surgery was necessary, the results were extremely positive. If something could not be operated on (my cervical spine), it was successfully infiltrated and trained through physiotherapy, so that today I am pain-free 

About the surgery:

Knee joint replacement in 2003, I have never had any problems since then, 22 years! Successfully operated on shoulder impingement, full mobility of the arm restored. Synovial cyst and facet joint cysts removed from compressed nerve at L4/L5 and pain-free and full functionality again (surgeon: Dr. Frank Kleinstück (Wirbelsäule))

transl. from german, inpatient treatment in Oct.2023, date of rating: 28.02.2025

 unverified rating about the Merian Iselin Klinik, Basel

Nurses sometimes very nice and competent, sometimes unfriendly and without much empathy 

About the surgery:

Knee joint

transl. from german, inpatient treatment in Oct.2023, date of rating: 20.06.2024

 unverified rating about the Spitäler Schaffhausen (Gruppe)

Good service and all-round care. Was very satisfied. Thank you to everyone involved 

About the surgery:

Artificial knee joint. Everything went smoothly (surgeon: Dr. Bartkowicki)

transl. from german, inpatient treatment in Jan.2023, date of rating: 12.02.2023

 unverified rating about the Rosenklinik, Rapperswil-Jona

great, friendly 

About the surgery:

Knee joint replaced, healed super after 3 months (surgeon: Dr. Jud)

transl. from german, date of rating: 30.03.2022

 unverified rating about the Klinik Pyramide am See, Zürich

Knee prosthesis revision. Had to be "revised" again after 10 months. Failed craftsmanship. 

About the surgery:

Loosened total prosthesis replaced, worn out ligaments detached. Guided knee TP by Link. Unfortunately, despite pain and problems during the rehab, the treatment was considered final. I was offered a new prosthesis with limited movement or stiffening. (surgeon: Dr. Andreas Oberholzer)

transl. from german, inpatient treatment in Dec.2020, date of rating: 09.01.2022

 unverified rating about the Merian Iselin Klinik, Basel

From the preliminary anesthetic talk to the operating theater to the nursing staff, you can confidently look forward to your procedure. There was never a hectic rush ... everything was explained in an exemplary manner and in the nursing service you can always feel the love for the job and the patient 

About the surgery:

Robot-assisted knee prosthesis. Very good course. No pain whatsoever! Mobilization on the day of the operation, already four-point walk on the 3rd day. (surgeon: Dr. David Brauers)

transl. from german, inpatient treatment in Nov.2021, date of rating: 23.11.2021

 unverified rating about the Klinik Villa im Park, Rothrist

Top professional clinic and very good staff. Great kitchen 

About the surgery:

Robotic knee prosthesis (surgeon: Dr. Lukas Schatzmann)

transl. from german, inpatient treatment in Jan.2021, date of rating: 18.07.2021

 unverified rating about the Spital Einsiedeln

great doctors good staff my knee prosthesis does not cause any problems at all 

About the surgery:

No complications (surgeon: Dr. renato sommucal)

transl. from german, inpatient treatment in Oct.2020, date of rating: 11.03.2021

 unverified rating about the Spital Bülach

Very good doctors, friendly and comprehensive care. Replacement knee joint and hip surgery a few years ago. Both operations went without complications and with perfect results. I would choose the Bülach Hospital again at any time.  (surgeon: Dr. Els)

transl. from german, inpatient treatment in Feb.2021, date of rating: 11.03.2021

 unverified rating about the Spitäler Schaffhausen (Gruppe)

partially very arrogant staff, easy hearing room, neglected 

About the surgery:

new knee joint, surgery without problems, rapid recovery, friendly physiotherapist (surgeon: Dr. Christoph Brumm)

transl. from german, inpatient treatment in Jun.2020, date of rating: 12.07.2020

 unverified rating about the Clinique Bois­Cerf, Lausanne

  (surgeon: Ms. Dr. Marta Manero)

inpatient treatment in May.2020, date of rating: 10.06.2020