Knee Replacement Surgery What are the risks of total knee replacement?
Updated on February 7, 2017      Admin
total knee replacement risk

Risks of total knee replacement include blood clots in the legs that can travel to the lungs (pulmonary embolism). Pulmonary embolism can cause shortness of breath, chest pain, and even shock.

Other risks include urinary tract infection, nausea and vomiting (usually related to pain medication), chronic knee pain and stiffness, bleeding into the knee joint, nerve damage, blood vessel injury, and infection of the knee which can require reoperation.

Furthermore, the risks of anesthesia include potential heart, lung, kidney, and liver damage.

What are the benefits of total knee replacement?

  • There are two main reasons to have a joint replacement, “The best reason is pain relief.”
  • During a hip or knee replacement, a surgeon removes/replace the damaged surfaces of the joint with the help of plastic or metal implants.
  • The second reason is to improve how well patient’s joint works but these results are less predictable. After a new hip or knee is put in, many people can walk more easily. Some may be able to ride a bike or play golf. But there are no guarantees.
  • This surgery is generally reserved for people over age 50 suffering from severe osteoarthritis.

What Are Recent Advances in Knee Replacement Surgery?

Minimally invasive surgery has revolutionized and modifies the knee replacement surgery as well as many fields of medicine. Its key characteristic is that it uses specialized techniques and instruments to enable the surgeon to perform major surgery without a large incision.

Minimally invasive knee joint replacement requires a much smaller incision, 3 to 5 inches, versus the standard approach and incision. The smaller, less invasive approaches result in less tissue damage 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.

What Precautions should patient take After Knee Replacement Surgery?

After knee replacement surgery, patient should not pivot or twist on the involved leg for at least six weeks.

Also during this time, when lying in bed, patient should keep the involved knee as straight as possible.

Kneeling and squatting also should be avoided soon after knee joint replacement surgery.

 

Cost of Knee Replacement Surgery

Cost of Knee Replacement Surgery depends upon various factors, considering age type of implant and packages offered by hospital to hospital. For Single Knee Replacement Surgery cost Rs 2.0-3.0 Lac approx (with imported Johnson and Johnson or Zimmer Implant) and for Bilateral Knee Replacement Surgery cost Rs 5.0 Lac approx (with imported Johnson and Johnson or Zimmer Implant). Actual Cost of the procedure may vary depending on medical condition of the patient.

Famous Doctors for Knee replacement surgeons in Delhi: