Total Knee Replacement
If your knee is severely damaged by arthritis or injury, it may be hard for you to perform simple activities, such as walking or climbing stairs. You may even begin to feel pain while you are sitting or lying down.
If nonsurgical treatments like medications and using walking supports are no longer helpful, you may want to consider total knee replacement surgery. Joint replacement surgery is a safe and effective procedure to relieve pain, correct leg deformity, and help you resume normal activities.
Anatomy
The knee is the largest joint in the body and having healthy knees is required to perform most everyday activities. Normal knee anatomy. In a healthy knee, these structures work together to ensure smooth, natural function and movement. The knee is made up of the lower end of the thighbone (femur), the upper end of the shinbone (tibia), and the kneecap (patella). The ends of these three bones are covered with articular cartilage, a smooth substance that protects the bones and enables them to move easily within the joint. The menisci are located between the femur and tibia. These C-shaped wedges act as shock absorbers that cushion the joint. Large ligaments hold the femur and tibia together and provide stability. The long thigh muscles give the knee strength.
Causes of Knee Pain
The most common cause of chronic knee pain and disability is arthritis. Although there are many types of arthritis, most knee pain is caused by just three types: osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and post- traumatic( after previous knee injury) arthritis.
- Osteoarthritis.
This is an age-related wear and tear type of arthritis. It usually occurs in people 50 years of age and older, but may occur in younger people, too. The cartilage that cushions the bones of the knee softens and wears away. The bones then rub against one another, causing knee pain and stiffness.
- Rheumatoid arthritis
This is a disease in which the synovial membrane that surrounds the joint becomes inflamed and thickened. This chronic inflammation can damage the cartilage and eventually cause cartilage loss, pain, and stiffness. Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common form of a group of disorders termed “inflammatory arthritis.”
- Posttraumatic arthritis
This can follow a serious knee injury. Fractures of the bones surrounding the knee or tears of the knee ligaments may damage the articular cartilage over time, causing knee pain and limiting knee function.
Each of these conditions eventually lead to chronic degenerated knee joint which is very painful and patients have difficulty in activities of daily living .
Is Total Knee Replacement for You?
The decision to have total knee replacement surgery should be a cooperative one between you, your family, your primary care doctor, and your orthopaedic surgeon.
When Surgery Is Recommended?
There are several reasons why your doctor may recommend knee replacement surgery. People who benefit from total knee replacement often have:
- Severe knee pain or stiffness that limits everyday activities, including walking, climbing stairs, and getting in and out of chairs. It may be hard to walk more than a few blocks without significant pain and it may be necessary to use a cane or walker.
- Persistent dependence on Analgesics “pain killers”.
- Moderate or severe knee pain while resting, either day or night.
- Chronic knee inflammation and swelling that does not improve with rest or medications.
- Knee deformity — a bowing in or out of the knee.
- Failure to substantially improve with other treatments such as anti-inflammatory medications, cortisone injections, lubricating injections, physical therapy, or other surgeries
Based upon your surgeons recommendations and your expectations the procedure can be planned. You as patient need to understand and discuss in details your expectations from surgery and all the possible complications and postoperative care needed to be taken with your surgeon so as to avoid any misunderstanding later .