Knee Replacement Surgery
Knee replacement surgery is a procedure that is performed when painful symptoms can no longer be controlled with non-operative treatments.
In a knee replacement procedure, your surgeon removes the damaged joint surface and replaces it with a metal and plastic implant.
The Knee Joint Replacement Surgery:
The surgery usually undergo under general anesthesia, spinal, or epidural anesthesia, an eight- to twelve-inch incision is made in the front of the knee. The damaged part of the joint is removed from the surface of the bones, and the surfaces are then shaped to hold a metal or plastic artificial joint.
The artificial joint is attached to the thigh bone, shin and knee cap either with cement or a special material. When fit together, the attached artificial parts form the joint, relying on the surrounding muscles and ligaments for support and function.
Recent Advances in Knee Joint Replacement Surgery:
Minimally invasive knee joint replacement surgery (MIS) uses specialized techniques and instrumentation to enable the surgeon to perform major surgery without a large incision.
MIS knee joint replacement requires a much smaller incision, three to five inches, versus the standard approach and incision, which is typically eight to twelve inches.
The smaller, less invasive approaches result in less tissue trauma by allowing the surgeon to work between the fibers of the quadriceps muscles instead of requiring an incision through the tendon. It may lead to less pain, decreased recovery time and better motion due to less scar tissue formation.
After the Surgery care:
The average hospital stay after knee joint replacement is usually three to five days. After knee joint replacement, people are standing and moving the joint the day after surgery. At first, you may walk with the help of parallel bars, and then a walking device -- such as crutches, walker, or cane -- will be used until your knee is able to support your full body weight.
After about 6 weeks, most people are walking comfortably with minimal assistance. Once muscle strength is restored with physical therapy, people who have had knee joint replacement surgery can enjoy most activities (except running and jumping).
Knee Joint Replacement Rehabilitation:
Rehabilitation after knee replacement begins immediately. Patients will work with a physical therapist as soon as the surgical procedure has been performed. The emphasis in the early stages of rehab is to maintain motion of the knee replacement and to ensure that the patient can walk safely.
After you are discharged from the hospital. You may have to go to an outpatient physical therapy facility. Outpatient therapy may last from one to two months, depending on your progress.
Movements and/or Activities After Surgery:
After knee joint replacement surgery, you should not twist on the involved leg for at least six weeks. Also when lying in bed, you should keep the involved knee as straight as possible. Kneeling and squatting also should be avoided soon after knee joint replacement surgery.
Recover at Home after Knee joint replacement surgery:
The following tips should make your recovery at home easier.
- Stair climbing should be kept to a minimum. Make the necessary arrangements so that you will only have to go up and down the steps once or twice a day.
- A firm, straight-back chair is extremely helpful in adhering to these joint precautions. Recliners should not be used.
- To help avoid falls, all throw rugs should be removed from the floor and rooms should be kept free of unnecessary debris.
- Enthusiastic pets should be kept far away until you have healed.
Risks of Knee Joint Replacement Surgery:
As with all surgeries, however, there are risks. Since you will not be able to move around much at first, blood clots are a particular concern.
Infection and bleeding also are possible, as are the risks associated with using general anesthesia. Other less common include the following:
- Pieces of fat in the bone marrow may become loose, enter the bloodstream and get into the lungs, which can cause very serious breathing problems.
- Nerves in the knee area may be injured from swelling or pressure and can cause some numbness.
- Other bones may be broken during the surgery, which may require a longer hospital stay.
- The replacement parts may become loose or break.
The New Joint Long Lasting:
When
joint replacement procedures were first performed in the early 1970s, it was thought that the average artificial joint would last approximately 10 years. We now know that about 85 percent of the joint implants will last 20 years. Improvements in surgical technique and artificial joint materials should make these artificial joints last even longer.
