The knee consists of three joints; medial, patellofemoral joint and the lateral tibiofemoral joint. When two or more of these joints are damaged then a Total Knee Replacement would be recommended.

This procedure involves resurfacing of the worn out or damaged knee joint with a blend of metal and polyethene prostheses. Arthritis is the most common reason for knee replacement, but other factors such as trauma, infection and inflammatory processes may also lead to a knee replacement.

Since last 20 years, there has been a significant improvement in knee replacement design and surgical technique. Now the knee replacements last for more than 20 years. I am part of an evaluation team in which design new prostheses that would provide superior performance and last longer than the traditional designs.

What is Total Knee Replacement Surgery?

Total knee replacement (TKR), also known as total knee arthroplasty was first performed in 1968. It is a highly successful surgical procedure which consists replacement of all three compartments of the knee the medial compartment, the lateral compartment, and the patellofemoral compartment. When a team of total knee replacement surgeon in Jaipur considers a patient for a knee replacement, he takes into account the patient’s age, lifestyle, and damage to the joint. The total knee replacement surgeries offer among the greatest success rates of all orthopedic operations.

Arthritis: Arthritis is a wearing away of the surfaces of the joint, caused either by aging or disease. As the cartilage wears away, the raw bones rub together whenever the joint moves. This rubbing causes pain and a roughening of the surfaces of the bone.

Injuries: Injuries include trauma and accidents, or continue abuse from sports injuries.

Osteonecrosis: If the blood supply to the thigh bone is decreased, part of the bone will die and break from weight-bearing activity. The result is a very painful joint.

Pain following total knee replacement has come a long way over the last 10-15 years with increased use of regional nerve blocks, spinal blocks, and various other modalities used for pain control. Early range of motion and rapid rehabilitation protocols are also designed to reduce early stiffness and pain, making the procedure in general much less painful than in past years. You may have relatively mild pain following the procedure, or you may have a more difficult time than others. Everyone is unique and handles and perceives pain differently.

Total knee replacement is primarily a pain relieving procedure under total knee replacement surgeon in Jaipur, however it may not relieve all pain, and there is a possibility of residual stiffness and swelling.

Infection (1%) is one of the most debilitating complications and often requires prolonged antibiotics with several additional surgeries to rid the infection.

Although complications are relatively rare (1-2% of patients), patients may experience a complication in the postoperative period.

Stiffness or loss of motion can also occur.

The implants can also fail over time due to wear or loosening of the components, but this generally occurs many years after surgery.