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Rebirth of the Knee: How Can Knee Replacement Surgery Restore Mobility?
Knee replacement surgery, or knee arthroplasty, is a surgical procedure designed to replace the weight-bearing surfaces of the knee joint to relieve pain and disability. This surgery is usually performed when joint pain has not been relieved by conservative treatments. This procedure may also be used for other knee conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis. In patients with severe deformities due to rheumatoid arthritis, trauma, or long-standing osteoarthritis, surgery may be more complicated and riskier.
Knee replacement usually involves Replacing the diseased or damaged joint surfaces with metal and plastic components that allow continued motion of the knee.
Depending on the situation, knee replacement surgery can be done with partial or total knee replacement. Recovery from this procedure usually takes 12 weeks or longer and may require the use of a walking aid, such as a walking frame, cane, or crutches, to gradually return to pre-operative mobility.
Medical Uses
Knee replacement surgery is most often performed in patients with severe osteoarthritis and should be considered when conservative treatments have failed to relieve symptoms. Total knee replacement may also be used to correct major knee or bone trauma in younger patients or to treat complex fractures in older patients due to previous symptomatic osteoarthritis. This surgery can also be used to correct mild varus or valgus deformities, but severe deformities should be corrected with osteotomy.
There is evidence that physical therapy can improve function and may delay or prevent the need for knee replacement.
Preoperative preparation
Before surgery, adequate preparation must be done to assess the necessity of knee replacement. Weight-bearing x-rays are usually required to evaluate the joint. Patients should perform range-of-motion exercises as directed by their doctor, while strengthening the muscles in their hips, knees, and ankles. A series of blood tests and other tests are done before surgery to make sure the patient is healthy enough for surgery.
Surgical Technique
This surgery involves exposure of the front of the knee and detaching a portion of the quadriceps muscle (medial broad muscle) from the patella. The patella is moved sideways to allow the surgeon to access the lower end of the femur and upper end of the tibia, and then precisely shape the bone ends in preparation for implantation of the metal and plastic components. These components allow the knee joint to maintain mobility.
Postoperative Pain Control
Pain control after surgery is an important part of a successful recovery. The most common technique currently is to use regional anesthesia to essentially reduce the pain sensation. Many patients choose to combine local anesthetics and nerve block techniques to achieve pain control beyond the effects of anesthesia.
Technological Advances
In recent years, the application of technology in knee replacement surgery has gradually become popular, evolving from traditional manual operations to computer-assisted navigation systems, which has improved the accuracy of surgery. Although these techniques have shown good results in the short term, they have not significantly improved long-term surgical outcomes.
Controversy and Challenges
There are many controversies in knee replacement surgery, such as the use of cement or cementless fixation methods, the necessity of patellar remodeling, etc. The medical community has no clear answers to these questions and holds different opinions.
Dangers and Complications
Knee replacement surgery carries certain risks, including but not limited to infection, fracture, and postoperative ligament instability. Patients must be aware of these potential risks during their recovery after surgery to increase their success rate.
Ultimately, knee replacement surgery is more than just a medical procedure; it is the key to regaining mobility for thousands of patients. In the future, would you consider this surgery to improve your quality of life?
