What Is a Knee Joint Replacement?

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DR. SUNIL RAJAN
Head of Department Apollo Institute of
Orthopaedics, Apollo Hospitals, Indore M.S
Orthopedics, Specialization Joint Replacement
Surgery
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What Is a Knee Joint Replacement?
The orthopedic procedure of knee joint
replacement is called a total knee arthroplasty
(TKA). This surgery involves replacing the
existing knee joint with a manmade one.
Orthopedic surgeons replace knee joints in order
to end pain, stiffness, and loss of function.
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What Are Reasons for a Knee Joint Replacement?
Both chronic osteoarthritis and rheumatoid
arthritis commonly cause people to lose knee
function and damage the joint to the degree that
they need a knee joint replacement (total knee
arthroplasty or TKA). But knee damage may also
stem from injury or infection. Sometimes, people
with severe rheumatoid arthritis of the knee can
require a TKA at an early age.
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How Do Health-Care Professionals Perform a Knee
Joint Replacement? How Long Does the Procedure
Last?
During knee joint replacement surgery, the
damaged parts of the knee joint are removed and
manufactured components (prosthesis) are then
placed in the knee. The three areas involved
are lower end of the thighbone (femur), upper
end of the shinbone (tibia), and behind the
kneecap (patella). The prosthesis can have both
metal and plastic parts. Some newer prostheses
now are made of metal on metal, ceramic on
ceramic, or ceramic on plastic.
The surgery for total knee replacement lasts
about two hours and involves an incision over
your knee. The thighbone and shinbone will be cut
to prepare them for the new pieces. The patella
will be moved at the beginning of the procedure,
and later a bone cement will be utilized to
fasten the prosthesis to it. This is the
traditional way the procedure has been performed.
Several modifications to the procedure can be
made and partial knee replacements are options
for certain joints, as well.
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During the procedure, you will either have
general anesthesia (when you are fully asleep) or
a regional block (spinal or epidural with more
localized anesthesia) that numbs your legs
combined with an intravenous medication that will
sedate you during the procedure. Your surgeon and
anesthesiologist will discuss the advantages and
disadvantages of both techniques.
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You will usually leave the hospital within a few
days of the procedure and attend a rehabilitation
facility that will help you get used to your new
knee and eventually help you return to all your
activities and hopefully many that you gave up
due to pain or inability of your "old" knee to
handle.
What Are Complications and Side Effects of a
Total Knee Joint Replacement?
The most common problems with a knee joint
replacement are

• fractures (breaks) of the new knee after a fall
  or other accident,
• pain from slippage and wear in the new joint, and
• loosening of the prosthetic components.

Other less common problems include

• infection of the joint
• dislocation, either complete or partial, of the
  new knee and
• a blood clot in a vein (deep vein thrombosis)
  above or below the knee. (Clots occur most
  commonly shortly after replacement surgery.)

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Many people who fall after having a knee
replacement break the bone below the new joint on
which the new knee is anchored. Pain and swelling
occur at or near the site of the knee joint
replacement.
Pain can occur gradually as the new joint
develops wear patterns that interfere with the
smooth function of the knee.

• Slippage can cause the prosthetic surfaces to
  move in opposition to each other and cause pain.
• This pain increases with activity and decreases
  when you sit.
• This pain of movement differs from the normal
  start-up pain that occurs in the first three to
  six months after knee replacement and that
  decreases over the first few steps.
• Infection will cause pain, along with frequent
  redness and swelling at the joint, even when you
  are at rest.
• Often fluid will collect at the knee joint in the
  presence of infection and cause a boggy swelling.
  Fluid may not accumulate with every infection.
• Fever may occur.

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Dislocating the knee will cause pain.

• Deformity of the joint will be present.
• A dislocation may damage adjoining nerves,
  muscles, and blood vessels and impair their
  function. The popliteal artery, which carries the
  entire blood supply to your lower leg and foot,
  can be injured or pinched shut. This is a medical
  emergency and requires urgent evaluation and
  diagnosis. The symptoms are pain, the lower leg
  may turn pale and cold, have poor or no pulse,
  and the leg may swell.
• Nerves to your lower leg can be cut or injured,
  causing your lower leg to become numb
  (paresthesia), weak (paresis), or paralyzed.
• Blood clots tend to form during the period
  ("post-op" or "post-operatively") when you cannot
  move following a knee replacement.

1. Clots become progressively less common with time.
2. A clot in your vein generally causes new pain,
   swelling, or redness in your lower leg.
3. The greatest concern is that the clot will travel
   through your veins and could lodge in your lung
   (pulmonary embolism).

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Dr. Sunil Rajan is a well-known Orthopaedic
surgeon in Indore. He is also known by the name
of Knee specialist in Indore, he performs knee,
hip and shoulder surgeries at a very cheap price.
If you are looking for the best Hip replacement
surgeon in Indore Contact to Dr. Sunil Rajan.
Book an Appointment today call us at 9826200015
and online visit for more informatoin -
https//www.drsunilrajan.com
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jan.com/contactus.htm
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