Knee Surgery: Safe Way For Knee Replacements

Knee replacement is a surgery for people suffering with severe knee damage. It can relieve pain and allow you to be more active. Arthritis is the most frequent cause for discomfort and chronic knee pain. Knee arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the US. In fact, a recent study showed around 1 in 5 people in the United States have some form of arthritis and two-thirds of the people who have been diagnosed with arthritis are under the age of 65.

At the time of the surgery, a damaged cartilage and bone from the surface of knee joint is removed by the surgeon and is replaced with a man made surface of metal and plastic. The process related to the surgery is given below.

Before and during the surgery

In the weeks before you enter the hospital, the orthopedic surgeon will order tests to make sure that you are healthy enough for the surgery. These include:
• Blood tests to measure the red blood cell count
• ECG to measure heart
• Urine tests to check for infection and pregnancy
• X-rays to check the lungs

Before the knee replacement surgery, the anesthesiologist reviews medical chart and discusses the anesthesia appropriate for your situation. There are two types of anesthesia used during the knee replacement surgery. One, where a patient is put to sleep, is known as general anesthesia, and regional anesthesia, where the patient's leg is numbed, either from below the waist or down from the hip. The type of anesthesia given depends on the patient's situation and the doctor's recommendations.

During your knee replacement surgery, the surgeon removes the worn surfaces at the end of the thigh bone using special instruments. The surgeon prepares the top of the shinbone (tibia) in a similar way as the original one. A new metal tray is planted on top of the remaining bone after removing the worn surface. A hard plastic spacer is held by the tray that becomes the new shock absorber between the smooth metal coverings. The back of the kneecap could also be replaced by the surgeon with a new plastic surface.

Surgery comes to an end after the surgeon closes the incision with stitches or staples, when the implant is in position and all the supporting muscles and ligaments are working well. When the surgery is over you are taken over to the recovery room.

Age, weight, activity level and other factors determine the performance of knee replacements. There are certain risks, and recovery takes time. People who are not able to rehabilitate properly should not have this surgery. An orthopedic surgeon is the right person to guide you.