What is Knee Replacement Surgery?

Simple actions like walking or climbing stairs may be difficult to perform if your knee is significantly injured by arthritis or injury. It’s possible that you’ll start to feel pain while sitting or lying down.

If nonsurgical treatments such as medicines and the use of walking aids are no longer effective, knee replacement surgery may be an option. Joint replacement surgery is a safe and effective way to ease pain, correct leg deformities, and get back to your daily routine.

Other Treatment Options

Treatment alternatives to Knee Replacement include:

• • Nonsurgical treatment for osteoarthritis/arthritis includes:
    • Physical therapy
    • Analgesics and anti-inflammatory medications and suitable drugs in cases of infections of the joints
    • Knee bracing or shoe inserts which help in knee alignment and balancing of weight on the knee joints.
    • Visco-supplementation injections for lubricating the joint to make the joint movement less painful.

• Alternative Treatment Options- Ayurveda is an ancient Indian medical practise that dates back over 3,000 years. Internal cleansing is the first step in Ayurveda treatment, followed by a particular diet, herbal treatments, massage therapy, yoga, and meditation.There are various Ayurveda treatment options available to completely cure knee pain. Talk to your case manager and he/she shall be able to help you.
• Surgical alternatives include:
  • Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure where small incisions can be done to repair the damage with arthroscopy.
  • Osteotomy is a surgical procedure where the involved leg bone is cut, realigned, and allowed to heal. It is useful for patients older than 60 with inflammatory arthritis.
  • Partial knee replacement involves replacing only the part of the knee joint that is damaged or arthritic.

Knee Replacement Surgery in India

Because only the surface of the bones are replaced, a knee replacement (also known as knee arthroplasty) is more correctly referred to as a knee “resurfacing.”

A knee replacement technique consists of four essential steps:

• • • Get the bone ready. Damaged cartilage on the end surfaces of femur and tibia, as well as a tiny piece of underlying bone, are removed.
    • Place the metal implants in their proper places. Metal components are used to replace the lost cartilage and bone, re-creating the joint’s surface. Metal pieces can be cemented or “pressed-fit” into the bone.
    • The patella should be resurfaced. With a plastic button, the undersurface of the patella (kneecap) is sliced and resurfaced. Depending on the situation, some surgeons do not resurface the patella.

When is Knee Replacement Surgery required?

You, your family, your primary care doctor, and your orthopedic surgeon should all work together to make the decision to have knee replacement surgery.
Your doctor may recommend knee replacement surgery for a variety of reasons. The following are common characteristics of people who benefit from knee replacement surgery :

• Knee discomfort or stiffness that prevents you from doing things like walking, climbing stairs, or getting in and out of chairs. It may be difficult to walk more than a few blocks without experiencing substantial discomfort, necessitating the use of a cane or walker.
• Moderate or severe knee discomfort while even while resting throughout the day
• Knee edema and inflammation that does not improve with rest or medicine
• Knee deformity (knee bending inward or outward)
• Other non-surgical therapies, such as anti-inflammatory medicines, cortisone injections, lubricating injections, physical therapy, or other procedures, have failed to significantly improve the condition.

Patients with bent knee deformities, such as the one depicted in this photo, will benefit from total knee replacement.

Knee replacement surgery does not have any age or weight restrictions.

Surgery is recommended based on a patient’s discomfort and handicap, not their age. The majority of patients who get total knee replacements are between the ages of 50 and 80, but orthopedic surgeons assess each patient individually. Knee replacements have been successfully performed on patients of all ages, from teenagers with juvenile arthritis to the elderly with degenerative arthritis.

Surgical Options

There are 3 techniques used for the knee replacement surgery:

Traditional Knee Replacement: This procedure is done under general anaesthesia. An 8-12 inch vertical incision is made in the front of the knee. The surgeon then prepares the bone to remove the damaged bone and cartilage surfaces at the end of tibia and femur.The cartilage and bone that are removed are replaced with artificial metal components made of alloys or high grade polymers. The metal components are cemented to the underlying bone for proper fit. The lower surface of the kneecap (patella) is removed and resurfaced. A spacer is inserted between the metal components for smooth gliding between the surfaces. The surgery takes about 2-3 hours. Rehabilitation is advised after the surgery as guided by the surgeon.

Minimally Invasive Knee Replacement: Unlike traditional knee replacement surgery, the minimally invasive knee replacement is less invasive performed using smaller incisions of 4-6 inch. The artificial implants used are the same as used in traditional replacement. However, the bones are prepared using specially designed surgical equipment for proper placement of the implants. This technique is less invasive with less damage and disruption of the adjacent structures that results in reduced postoperative pain, smaller scars and early recovery.

Computer Navigated Knee Replacement: Computer navigation Knee Replacement using NAV3 technology is the most advanced and revolutionary surgical procedure that is being performed in India with great success. This technique improves the accuracy of the prosthetic implantation with further minimizing the need for surgical exposure resulting in less scarring, faster recovery and thus improving the short and long term performance of the knee joint.

How is Knee Replacement Surgery done?

General anesthesia (putting you to sleep) and spinal, epidural, or regional nerve block anesthesia are the most common types of anesthesia (you are awake but your body is numb from the waist down). Your anesthesia experts will advise which form of anesthesia is ideal for you.

The surgery normally takes between two and three hours. To reestablish the alignment and functionality of your knee, your orthopedic surgeon will remove the damaged cartilage and bone and then place new metal and plastic implants.

What is the Recovery after Knee Replacement Surgery like?

You will have some discomfort after the surgery. This is a common thing during the healing process. Your doctor and nurses will attempt to lessen your pain, allowing you to recover more quickly from surgery.

Medications are frequently provided for short-term pain management. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), acetaminophen, and local anesthetics are among the medications available to assist control pain.

What Results Can I Expect from Knee Replacement Surgery?

The results of knee replacement surgery are very gratifying. The patient is relieved of the knee pain completely and is able to enjoy an active lifestyle.

You would not be advised to do certain high impact activities like jogging and jumping for a few weeks by the surgeon. An elderly patient above 80 is able to do the activities of daily living which were painful or not possible earlier.

Metal detectors, which are necessary for security in airports and some businesses, may be triggered by your new knee. If the alarm goes off, tell the security worker about your knee replacement. We shall give you a letter that states that you have had a knee replacement and have an implant in the knee, which can be shown to the security.