Knee Joint Replacement

The most common reason for people to require a knee joint replacement is chronic arthritis pain, often caused by osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. 



Most knee joint replacement surgery patients are over the age of 55, but if necessary surgery can be done at any age. The goal of knee joint replacement is to reduce joint pain, allowing increased mobility of the knee joint. The new ‘kneejoint replacement’ procedure is considered a great improvement compared to the less often used total knee replacement. There are several reasons for this. The newer knee joint replacement surgery is performed through an incision as small as 3 to 6 inches where as the total knee joint replacement requires a large incision (8 to 12 inches). The smaller incision often means less blood loss, less tissue damage, a shorter hospital stay (about 5 days), faster recovery, and much less scarring.

The Surgery

Surgeons make an incision over the front of the patella (knee cap), then the patella is drawn back out of the way in order to see the knee joint. The damaged surface of the end of the femur (thigh bone) and the top of the tibia (shin bone) are removed. The prosthesis is then placed and, using bone cement, is cemented to the ends of the bones. The surgery is often completed under general anaesthesia, but may also be completed with a spinal or epidural aesthetic and can take from one to three hours. The combined method is often used in order to give better pain relief.



Both knees (bilateral) can be replaced at the same time if required, as long as the patient has no other major health problems such as heart disease, severe asthma, etc. When bilateral knee surgery is completed, usually a longer stay in hospital is required. Out-patient physiotherapy is a vital part of the joint replacement program. You will need the  medical equipment to accommodate sitting, such as an elevated chair and commode, after the surgery. Some patients may need in-home care if they do not have someone available to assist them in their daily activities, or take them to doctor or physiotherapy appointments etc.

Complications

1. Post-surgical loosening of the implants
2. Infection ina joint that has been replaced
3. Blood clots in the legs (deep vein thrombosis) – this risk increases with the condition of your veins pre-op and the time staying in bed post-op.

If you have any pre or post operative concerns please contact your surgeon or general practitioner. In over 90% of cases, knee joint replacement is complication-free and gives considerable pain relief with improved mobility.