Knee replacement

Knee replacement surgery or knee arthroscopy is a process whereby the affected surfaces of the knee joint or the entire knee joint are replaced by plastic or metal limbs. Knee replacement surgery is divided into two categories: complete knee replacement and partial knee replacement.

After the surgery, the patient must undergo physical rehabilitation; it should be noted that the recovery period will be very painful.

Duration of treatment

After 12 to 24 hours, the person will walk on crutches. The full recovery period will last from 4 to 12 weeks and the patient will be able to return to work after this period.

Related paraclinics

Prior to this surgery, the patient will undergo numerous tests, including x-ray of the knee and chest, and blood tests.

Preoperative care, operation process, and postoperative care

Preoperative care

Before it is time to do the operation, you may be asked to do specific exercises. You also need to avoid medications such as aspirin and avoid smoking.

Operation process

During the surgical procedure, an 8 to 12-inch-long incision is made at the front of the knee and part of the quadriceps muscle is removed from the knee bowl. The knee bowl is now removed to reveal the thigh bone near the calf. The two bones are then shaved and the cartilage and anterior crucial ligament are removed. Finally, metal or plastic limbs attach to the bone.

It should be noted that with the advent of technology, this process can now be accomplished without large cuts. In this case, the incision on the patient’s body will be about 3 to 5 inches.

This operation is performed under general anesthesia and lasts 1 to 3 hours.

Postoperative care

After this operation, the most important thing is for the patient to follow the doctor’s instructions and to take the prescribed medication. It is also advisable to do aerobic exercise and increase your activity level slowly to prevent blood clots from forming.

Surgical Tips

Possible risks include

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Blood clot formation
• Nerve damage
• Bone fractures during or after surgery
• Bone formation around the prosthetic joint

Prescribed for

Joint damage due to joint or bone swelling, rheumatoid arthritis, hemophilia, gout or trauma.

Duration of hospitalization

The person will be hospitalized for 3 to 5 days.