Overview on Knee Replacement Surgery

A total knee replacement is a surgical process by which an ailing knee joint is substituted with artificial materials. The knee is placed on a hinge joint due to which we are all able to move and it also acts as a common point of connection between the thigh as well as the lower leg. Due to various reasons, the Knee joint becomes weak, fractured or damaged and thus total knee joint replacement acts as an optimal procedure to bring people back to lead a normal life.

During this surgical procedure, the body’s natural knee joint is replaced along with an artificially created joint made pout of various materials like ceramic and metal. The artificial parts of the Total Knee joint Replacement is commonly referred as prosthesis.

Symptoms that lead to a Total Knee Joint Replacement

• Knee pain is very common in most of the country and particular worse in colder regions. However the patients who need a Total knee Joint Replacement experiences out of control pain that often makes them immovable.
• The pain usually begins with arthritis and gets worse with time and constant movements.
• Patient might experience swelling and redness over the knee joints.
• Patient can’t move, bend or straighten legs without pain.
• Patient might hear knocking or bucking chuckles in their knee joints.
• Changes in the weather could affect the pain and the discomfort in patient’s knee joint.

Cause that leads to a Total Knee Joint Replacement

• Fractures are the most common reason that leads to a patient option for a Total Knee Joint Replacement.
• Slippage often leads to dislocate the knee and might result in a surgery.
• Loosening of the joint due to a poor diet, improper lifestyle and lack of exercise.
• Infection of a knee joint.
• A blood clot in the vein.

Treatment which offering a Total Knee Joint Replacement

A consultant orthopaedic surgeon might have suggested the patient that Total Knee Joint Replacement done if in case patient is suffering from unbearable pain in the joints, suffering from swelling, stiffness or difficulty in walking, sitting etc. The treatment involves a complete surgery done under general anesthesia.

During a total knee replacement, the end of the femur bone is removed and replaced with a metal shell. The end of the lower leg bone (tibia) is also removed and replaced with a channeled plastic piece with a metal stem. Depending on the condition of the kneecap portion of the knee joint, a plastic “button” may also be added under the kneecap surface. The artificial components of a total knee replacement are referred to as the prosthesis.

Then after an 8-12 inches cut is made towards the knee, after which the natural knee joint, which is much like a cup sized bone gets replaced with an artificial, similar looking material.

This artificial knee joint is made up of metal or plastic and it is then joint with the thigh bone, muscles and the various ligaments along with special cement.

How a Total Knee Joint Replacement works:

Most of the knee replacement surgeries are successful if the patients take care of him. Most people experience a great comfort and a huge recovery after this surgery. The improvements are drastic and pain almost vanishes away from the body.

People are asked to be careful about stand position and movement with the help of joint just after the surgery to the next 3-4 days. They can need support with stick during walking and start a new painless chapter in their lives.

Physiotherapy is helpful to provide the strengths in the body’s muscles, so this is certainly recommended. After about 6 weeks, most of the patients are truly happy with the results.