Knee Replacement

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Knee Replacement

Why You Need Total Knee Replacement?

People with severe knee pain find it difficult to climb stairs, perform daily activities and also fail to do certain simple activities like walking. They even start to feel pain even if they are not doing anything and simply sitting or lying down. This may happen when the knee joint is severely damaged by an injury or arthritis.  Osteoarthritis of the knee joint, rheumatoid arthritis and post-traumatic arthritis are the prominent reasons for total knee replacement.

Osteoarthritis

It is an age-related type of arthritis. The wear and tear of knee joint may occur in old people, but even younger people are also becoming prone to it. In this type the cartilage that caps the knee joint bones becomes soft and wear off. On complete loss of cartilage, the bones rub against each other and cause knee stiffness, inflammation in the joint and knee pain.

Rheumatoid arthritis

It is a condition associated with the thickening and inflammation of the synovial membrane of the knee joint. Knee cartilage is subjected to chronic inflammation and damage. The condition eventually leads to loss of cartilage, stiffness and pain. This type of arthritis is the most prominent type of inflammatory arthritis.

Post-traumatic arthritis

This type of arthritis develops following a severe knee injury. Knee ligaments tear and get damaged along with the bones surrounding the knee following a serious knee injury. The cartilage covering the edges of the knee bones begins to deteriorate over a period of time causing severe knee pain and limiting knee function.

Medications for Knee Pain

Those who start taking medicines and using walking supports may no longer find such measures useful. Some people also resort to taking lubricating injections, cortisone injections and anti-inflammatory medications along with physiotherapy. If all such non-surgical measures fail, then orthopaedic doctors recommend total knee replacement surgery.

Robotic Assisted Total Knee Replacement

Since 1968 when the first knee replacement surgery was performed there has been tremendous improvements in the surgical techniques and materials used for the surgery and also in the effectiveness of the procedure. With the introduction of robotic knee replacement surgery, perfect alignment, preciseness and accuracy of the procedure has been dramatically improved with 99% success. As of now, total knee replacement is one of the most successful procedures in the medicine.

Total Knee Replacement (Knee Arthroplasty)

Read more about: Robotic-Assisted Knee Replacement Surgery

A person who has severe knee injury or severe arthritis is considered for Total Knee Replacement surgery. A knee Arthroplasty is a knee resurfacing procedure or a knee replacement wherein the surface of the bone is replaced.

It is a type of procedure in which the ends of the knee bones damaged by arthritis are resurfaced. To cap the ends of these resurfaced ends of the bones that form the knee joint, plastic and metal parts are used. The procedure is known as Total Knee Replacement or knee arthroplasty or knee replacement. There are four basic steps involved in this procedure.

  1. Preparation of the bone: To prepare the bone for the implant, cartilage surfaces at the ends of tibia and femur are removed with some parts of the damaged bone.
  2. Positioning the metal implants: Metal components are used to recreate joint surface after the removal of cartilage and bones. The implant is cemented or press-fit int the bone.
  3. Resurfacing the Patella: Depending on the requirement, the knee cap (patella) may be cut and resurfaced with a plastic button.
  4. Inserting a spacer: To create a smooth gliding surface between the implanted metal components, a medical-grade plastic spacer is inserted.

Is Total Knee Replacement Apt for You?

Your orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in total knee replacement surgery decides whether you are a perfect candidate for the total knee replacement based on a cooperative decision – which is based on your orthopaedic doctor, you and your family. After a thorough medical and physical examination, scanning and evaluation, your orthopaedic surgeon will decide whether you benefit from the surgery.

When does your Orthopaedic Doctor Recommend Total Knee Replacement?

Your orthopaedic doctor decides Total Knee Replacement based on several reasons and especially when you have the following concerns:

  • Knee stiffness and severe pain that hampers everyday activities – such as getting in and out of bed or chair, walking difficulty, climbing stairs.
  • If you find it extremely difficult to walk a few steps without a support and without significant pain.
  • If you take a support, cane or walker for walking.
  • If you experience moderate to severe knee pain every time – day and night and also while resting.
  • If you have knee swelling and chronic knee inflammation that does not get better with medications, physiotherapy and rest.
  • If you have knee deformity — a bowing in or out of the knee.

Bottom Line

People who benefit from total knee replacement often have the above problems. Total knee replacement is an effective, accurate and safe procedure to correct your leg deformity and relieve debilitating pain and help you resume day-to-day activities.