Total Knee Replacement
What is total knee replacement?
Is one of the largest joint in the body and have a smooth lining called cartilage. As age progresses it wears out and leave the bone ends exposed causing pain. The knee replacement operation is aimed at removing the disease part of the bone and replacing it with metal prosthesis. The surgeon would advise you knee replacement if all other alternative treatment therapy fails and you still are in considerable pain affecting the quality of your life.
What conditions need a Knee Replacement?
Knee replacement is usually necessary when the knee joint is damaged so that your mobility is reduced and you are in pain even while resting. The most common reason for knee replacement surgery is osteoarthritis. Other health conditions that cause knee damage include:
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Hemophilia
- Gout
- Knee injury
- Knee deformity with pain and loss of cartilage
What conditions need a Knee Replacement?
Knee replacement surgery is necessary when all other modalities of treatment fail such as painkillers, physiotherapy, joint injections and exercises. As it’s a big operation it’s better to be done as a last resort.
Main indications for having a Knee replacement is
- Pain
- Stiffness and restricted mobility
- Deformity
How is a Knee Replacement performed?
The procedure is performed mostly under a spinal/epidural anesthetic where only you are numb from waist below. The surgeon opens the knee joint and moves away the kneecap. With careful precision he cuts the ends of bone and fixed the metal prosthesis with help of special bone cement. The procedure takes about an hour. You will be in the hospital for about 3-4 days and walk on crutches/walker for 4-6 weeks after the operation.
What are the risks and complications of knee replacement?
Knee replacement surgery is a common operation and most people do not have complications. However, as with any operation, there are risks as well as benefits.
Complications are rare but can include:
- Stiffness of the knee
- Infection of the joint replacement, needing further surgery
- Unexpected bleeding into the knee joint
- Ligament, artery or nerve damage in the area around the knee joint
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- Persistent pain in the knee
- Break in the bone around the knee replacement during or after the operation
In some cases, the new knee joint may not be completely stable and further surgery may be needed to correct it.
My experience in knee replacements:
With over nine years of overseas experience in UK and Ireland I am glad to say that I have done more than 1000 knee replacements in a short span. I got the opportunity to work under expert knee surgeons like Professor J O’Brien and Mr. P Keogh in Ireland and also Mr. Neil Graham and Mr. Karlakki in Oswestry UK. I am specially trained in complex total knee replacements, valgus knees and difficult primary knee replacements.
I’m well verse with all types of knee replacement and I believe that one knee doesn’t fit all. So I plan an operation on the patient-to-patient basis. Take the benefit of my expertise and visit me to discuss what suits you the best.
