Total Knee Arthroplasty
If your knee has been injured or is severely damaged by arthritis, you may be a candidate for total knee replacement surgery.
Also called total knee arthroplasty, this procedure is a safe and effective way to relieve pain, correct leg deformities, and help you resume your normal activities.
You may want to consider total knee replacement surgery if you have a stiff, painful knee that prevents you from performing even the simplest of activities and other treatments are no longer working.
What causes knee pain?
Arthritis
The most common reason people have knee pain is arthritis. There are many types of arthritis, however, most knee problems result from osteoarthritis, an age-related problem. This typically occurs in people age 50 years and older but can affect young people, too.
With osteoarthritis, the cartilage that cushions the bones of the knee softens and wears away giving it the name “wear-and-tear” arthritis.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Another type of arthritis that affects the knee is rheumatoid arthritis. With this disease the synovial membrane that surrounds the joint thickens and becomes inflamed over time. This chronic inflammation leads to damage of the cartilage and eventually causes pain, stiffness, and decreased range of motion.
A third type of arthritis that causes knee pain follows serious knee injury. This is known as post-traumatic arthritis and the limited knee function and pain result from tears of the knee ligaments, damage to the cartilage, and fractures to the bones of the knee joint.
Who will benefit from a total knee replacement?
Total knee replacement surgery will help those who have severe knee stiffness and pain that limits everyday activities, like climbing stairs, getting in and out of chairs, and walking. The decision to have a total knee replacement will be one made together by you, your family, your primary care doctor, and your orthopedic specialist. People who will benefit from this procedure are:
- Those who have moderate to severe pain while at rest.
- Those who have chronic knee inflammation that does not respond to rest or medications.
- Those who have a knee deformity, such as bowing in or out of the knee.
- Those who do not improve with conventional medical treatment.
What happens during a total knee replacement?
Once you are admitted to the hospital, you will be evaluated by a member of the anesthesia team. Most total knee replacement procedures are done under regional anesthesia, meaning you will be numbed from the waist down through spinal, epidural, or regional nerve block anesthesia or under general anesthesia, meaning you will be put to sleep.
This decision will be made depending on your individual needs, your doctor’s preference, and the anesthesiolgists recommendation taking your personal wishes into account.
The procedure itself only takes one to two hours. Your orthopedic specialist will remove the damaged cartilage and bone and position the new prosthetic implants to restore the function and alignment of your knee. Different types of knee implants are used to meet each patient’s individual needs.
Basically, an incision is made in the front of the knee to allow the surgeon to work on the damaged joint. The worn part of the joint is removed from the surface of the bones, and the surfaces are then shaped to hold the metal or plastic replacement joint.
This artificial joint is attached to the thighbone, shin, and kneecap areas with cement. When the areas are fit together, the artificial parts then form the joint and rely on the surrounding muscles and ligaments for support and function.
How long will my new knee joint last?
Fifty years ago it was though that the average artificial joint would only last around ten years. Now, thanks to improved medical technology, we know that around 85% of joint implants will last at least twenty years.
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