A Comprehensive Guide to Knee Arthroplasty – Causes, Procedure, Recovery
India is home to more than 138 million senior citizens. India’s 138 million senior citizens include 71 million women, and 67 million men. Statista reported 40.8 million seniors across India impacted by arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. This number is expected to rise to 96.7 million in 2050.
Ailments such as arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and osteoarthritis affect knee functions in the elderly, causing acute pain in many and impacting mobility in seniors. Knee replacement surgery or Arthroplasty is a common means of treatment to restore knee functions and relieve pain in seniors suffering from age-related joint ailments, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and osteoarthritis.
Knee surgery is a common form of surgery practiced at most multi-specialty medical facilities across India. A simple Google search like ‘joint pain doctor near me’ can get you closer to a specialist in knee replacement surgery. However, it is worth your time to know a little more about Arthroplasty. Read further to know more about knee replacement surgery, why a doctor is likely to recommend the procedure, and the recovery conditions for Arthroplasty surgery.
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Why a Doctor is Likely to Recommend Arthroplasty?
A basic Google search like ‘joint paint doctor near me’ could lead to an orthopedic doctor recommending knee replacement surgery for joint pain in the knees and accompanying debilitation for several reasons.
While knee replacement surgery is often the last resort to treating debilitating knee joint pain, a doctor is likely to recommend Arthroplasty when conventional treatment does not relieve pain and restore mobility.
Various ailments and conditions could warrant knee replacement surgery to relieve knee joint pain and restore mobility in the lower limbs. These conditions and ailments include:
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Psoriatic Arthritis
- Osteoarthritis
- Meniscus tears
- Ligament tears
- And cartilage defects
All of the above are likely to lead to debilitating knee pain that cannot be relieved by conventional treatments, leading to knee partial, and complete knee replacement surgery. An orthopedic doctor is likely to deliver conventional treatments for most of the ailments mentioned above. However, when conventional treatments fail, a knee replacement surgeon is likely to take over, performing Arthroplasty to relieve debilitating knee pain.
Preoperative Testing and Preparation
When osteoarthritis leads to a need for knee replacement surgery, doctors base their recommendations on x-rays of both knees. Similarly, pre-operative testing and preparation for knee replacement surgery include:
- Range-of-Motion-Exercises of the knees, hips, and ankles daily, in the days leading up to surgery
- ECG
- Chest X-Ray
- Blood Cross-Matching for Blood Transfusion (If Required)
- PT and APTT to measure blood clotting
- Complete blood count
- Blood electrolytes count
Testing and preparations vary, and are likely to be recommended by a knee replacement surgeon; to ensure the best outcome of the surgery. Read further to know more about the Arthroplasty procedure.
Arthroplasty Procedure
Arthroplasty surgery often involves the following steps:
- The surgery is commenced with exposure of the front knee
- Following this, the quadriceps muscle is detached from the patella
- To gain access to the proximal end of the tibia and the distal rear of the femur; the patella is removed to a side of the joint
- The ends of the tibia and femur are cut into shape
- The anterior cruciate ligament and cartilages may or may not be removed
- The collateral ligaments of the tibia and femur are preserved
- The posterior cruciate ligament is subject to removal, depending on the implant type used
- Metal components are then fixed onto the bone using PMMA cement or impacted onto the bone
Arthroplasty Recovery
Complete recovery post Arthroplasty surgery may last 12 weeks or longer, and full recovery requires extensive post-operative care and therapy. The recovery period may also call for the extensive use of walking aids like walking sticks, canes, and walking frames.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where are India’s leading hospitals for knee replacement surgery?
A: India is home to many private and government-run hospitals specializing in knee replacement surgery, also offering extensive pre and post operative care.
Q: How much does knee replacement surgery cost?
A: Knee replacement costs can vary depending on implants used, partial or complete surgical requirements, medical facilities, and location.
Q: What kinds of knee surgery are there?
A: Knee surgery can be partial Arthroplasty, or complete knee surgery.
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