Considering Knee Replacement Surgery?

What You Need to Know About Knee Replacement

Knee replacement surgery is the most common joint replacement procedure. Many people have Knee Arthritis. but it can be difficult to know when is the right time to have a knee replacement surgery?

Arthritis of the knee is a condition in which there is loss of the articular cartilage of the femur, tibia, or patella. This can be seen on X-ray as a loss of the space between the two ends of bone.

Because of the loss of the moving surfaces of the bone, people with arthritis may feel stiffness in knees and their movement is limited. Sometimes people may feel a clicking or knocking sound within the knee. Generally the knee joint with activities such as walking long distances, standing for long periods of time, or climbing stairs makes arthritis pain worse. The pain is usually felt in the inside part of the knee, but also may be felt in the front or back of the knee. As the cartilage is worn away generally on one side of the knee joint, knee will become more knock-kneed or bowlegged.

Time to Have Replacement

Knee Replacement Surgery is a procedure which is performed when the knee joint has reached a stage when painful symptoms cannot be controlled with non-operative treatments. In this surgery, your surgeon removes the damaged surface of Joints and replaces the damaged joint with a metal and plastic implant.

A Total Knee replacement is a major surgery. Here are some signs to look for to help you decide the right time for knee replacement surgery. The most common question regarding knee replacement are

What is the right time to go for knee replacement surgery?

What is the harm in delaying knee replacement surgery?

Alternative treatments to avoid Knee replacement surgery

Treatment for any ailment must begin with the most basic options and then lead to the more involved , which may end up in surgery. Treatments are different for every patient depending upon the condition.

Knee replacement is generally advised to the patients who have tried all of the other treatments and are still feeling significant pain during normal day to day activities. Patients who have occasional pain, are able to participate in athletic activities, or have not tried non-operative treatments are probably not ready for a knee replacement. Non-operative treatment options include:

Weight Loss

Life style modification including Activities involved

Anti-Inflammatory Medications

Nutritional and Joint Supplements

Cortisone Injections

Hyaluronic Injections

Knee Replacement Implants

Knee replacement surgery removes the damaged Joint and replaces the surfaces with a metal and plastic implant. These implants will wear out over time, and Knee replacements are quite uncommon in younger patients because of the high activity implant wearing out too quickly.

Knee replacement implants have been designed to provide the best possible functioning with long-lasting results. Some of newer implants are being designed for the following classifications

Partial Knee replacements

Rotating knee replacements

Gender specific knee replacements

Customised knee replacements

Some people will benefit from a specific type of knee replacement or they may need specialized implants to address a particular deformity or instability of the knee joint. However, for the vast majority of people undergoing knee replacement, many companies will make a suitable implant. Talk to your surgeon if you have specific questions about the implant that they may recommend for your particular situation.

Steps involved in Knee replacement surgery

When a knee replacement is performed, the bone and cartilage at the end of thigh bone (femur) and top of the shin bone (tibia) are removed.

This is performed using advanced and precise instruments to create surfaces that can accommodate the implant perfectly.

A metal and plastic implant are then placed as a new knee joint. Depending on the condition of the cartilage underneath the kneecap, the knee cap surface may also be replaced

Risks of Joint Replacement surgery

You should discuss about the risks involved in the surgery with your doctor prior to total knee replacement surgery.

You must understand the potential risks:

Blood Clots

Blood Loss

Infection

Stiffness in the Knees

By knowing the complications, and importantly the signs of potential complications, you can help make sure any issues are addressed early, and before returning to more serious problems.