Knee replacement surgery was first performed over 50 years ago but since then improvements in surgical materials and techniques have greatly increased its effectiveness. Total knee replacements are one of the most successful procedures in all of medicine.
Joint replacement surgery is a safe and effective procedure to relieve pain, correct leg deformity, and help you resume normal activities.
It is possible that your knee joint is affected severely by a trauma (injury) or may be due to arthritis.
This can cause difficulties in carrying out your normal duties or day today living and be able to lead a normal life. It could be even affecting your sleep and limiting you the distance you can walk without pain. The arthritis in the knee can also cause you to have pain in the knee while at rest.
There are several nonsurgical treatments available which help in early stages of the knee problem. These can be painkillers and anti-inflammatory medication and use of walking support. If these measures have failed to help relieve your pain then, you may want to consider total knee replacement surgery.
Common Causes of Knee Pain:
- Osteoarthritis of the Knee
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Arthritis after a trauma or injury
How will I know if I need a Knee Replacement?
- Likelihood of you needing knee replacement surgery are based on your symptoms like pain and disability, not age. Most patients who undergo total knee replacement are age 50 to 80. Cases are evaluated by orthopaedic surgeons on an individual basis..
- Pain or stiffness that limits everyday activities, including walking, climbing stairs, and getting in and out of chairs.
- There is deformity — a bowing in or out of the knee.
- Have already tried ther treatments such as anti-inflammatory medications, cortisone injections, lubricating injections, physical therapy, or other surgeries.
- Moderate or severe knee pain while resting, either day or night.
Knee replacement can be of several types depending on how much of the natural knee is involved due to arthritis and needs replacing. These can be:
- Total knee replacement (TKR)
- Partial knee replacement (PKR)
- Patellofemoral replacement
- Unicompartmental knee replacement (also referred as half a knee replacement)
- Revision knee replacement
- Have Realistic expectations
- Most people who have total knee replacement surgery experience a dramatic reduction of knee pain and a significant improvement in the ability to perform common activities of daily living. But total knee replacement will not allow you to do more than you could before you developed arthritis.
- You will be assessed by an orthopaedic surgeon. They will determine and discuss with you if you are a suitable candidate after taking your medical history and assessing your knee’s thoroughly. In particular, they will look at the existing range of motion, stability and strength of your knee(s). X-rays (while bearing weight) is a routine way of assessing the extent of damage to your knee joints, and in surgical planning. If surgery is recommended your surgeon will explain the details of the procedure and tell you more about the available implant options.
Performing a Knee replacement usually takes 1 – 2 hours. During this procedure the arthritic ends and cartilage of the bones ends are removed and also the back of the arthritic knee cap is shaved off. This is then replaced with metal alloys and even high-grade polymers.
You can expect to stay in hospital for between 2 – 4 days after a total knee replacement, depending on how well your recover. knee through various degrees of range of motion for hours while you relax.
- Blood clots. Blood clots can happen in the leg veins. If these clots travel to the lungs, they can become life-threatening. Your surgeon will explain steps you can take to prevent blood clot.
- Infection. An infection may occur in the wound or around the prosthetics. Any infection in your body can also spread to the wound. Treatment involves antibiotics, more surgery or removal of the prosthesis depending on the severity of the infection.
- Implant failure. Over time, implants may be damaged or may loosen due to wear and tear.
- Nerve and blood vessel damage
- Heart attack
- Stroke
Recovery Afterwards:
You can expect to stay in hospital for between 3 – 5 days after a total knee replacement, depending on how well your recover.
In the initial stage it is important to monitor the blood circulation of the leg and swelling in the knee. You may be given blood thinners and asked to wear support tights to prevent blood clots
- Physiotherapy: A physiotherapist will also teach you exercises to do on your new knee and you will need to continue with these once you return home. You may also be given a continuous passive motion (CPM) machine, which constantly moves the
- Mostly patients are able to return to normal routine at approximately 6 weeks after surgery. They can handle daily activities such as shopping and housework. If you can bend your knee far enough by this stage and are no longer on narcotic pain medication, then driving is also possible. Do ensure that you are able to make emergency stop and feel confident in doing so.
- You should be aiming for low impact activities such as walking, swimming, golfing or cycling on a stationary bike at this stage.
- Strenuous high impact activities such as jogging and competitive sports should be avoided as they will place too much strain on the artificial joint and risk damaging it.