Hyderabad, April 26: Total Knee Replacement is a surgery performed on patients whose knees are damaged due to arthritis. This damage can be age related or also due to other pathological causes like rheumatoid arthritis, or gout.
Patients who are not able to walk due to severe pain, who have severe deformity in their knees and in whom medical treatment has failed are correct candidates for surgery.
Patients undergoing Total Knee Replacement are first screened for fitness by the cardiac and anaesthesia doctors.
Once fitness is given, the patients are usually posted as the first case of the day in an operation theatre equipped with laminar air flow to reduce chance of infection.
The total surgical time of the procedure varies from half an hour to one hour. Sometimes patients with two arthritic knees are operated on the same sitting.
Once the surgery is performed the patients are monitored for a few hours in the ICU and then shifted to the room.
They are made to stand and walk within two days of surgery and active and passive physiotherapy is conducted by the physiotherapist.
The patients are usually fit to be discharged by the 4th or 5th day and physiotherapy is continued at home.
Sutures are removed by 2 weeks and by this time the patients will be walking with the help of stick. At the end of third week the stick is discarded and patients are able to walk unaided.
Stair climbing is also added to the daily routine and by the end of first month the patients are fit for regular light activities.
An annual six-month check up is advisable in order to observe the post operative outcome of the surgery.
Total Knee Replacement technology has undergone tremendous changes over the past few years.
In fact the requirement, awareness and information about this procedure is increasing day by day.
Taking into consideration patient age groups that opt for this treatment and also their personal demands like getting back to work early Minimally Invasive Surgery has been the gold standard form of surgical approach.
Taking into consideration of longevity of the implant the new ceramic based Total Knee Replacement implants are now available.
Minimally Invasive Surgery is one where the scar is minimal and hence blood loss and pain after the surgery are less.
This ensures that the patient gets back to work faster.
The infection risk is also minimal. Patients undergoing Minimally Invasive Surgery have shown better outcomes than patients who underwent conventional TKRs.
Many patients in the lower age groups of 50-60 with severe arthritis were crippled with previous implants as the level of activity post surgery was curtailed to increase the life of the implant. But now Ceramic based Knee implants are a boon to those patients.
These implants offer longevity and less wear and tear and are called the ‘30 year’ knee in the West due to their resilience. Obese patients, sportspersons, golfers and other patients who want to have an active life style post surgery are correct candidates for this implant.
The implant varies from conventional implant in that there is a Zirconium coat on it which reduces friction and increases longevity.
Many patients who have undergone Total Knee Replacement with these implants indulge even in outdoor sporting activities like Golf and Tennis.
The next jump in Total Knee Replacement is the Custom Fit Total Knee Replacement.
This exciting new form of surgery involves unique set of instruments designed for the patient undergoing surgery.
These custom made implants are developed after taking an MRI of the patient and reconstructing a computer image of the individual joint.
Hence the common conventional instruments are replaced by specific custom built instruments for that individual patient.
This offers better fit, lesser operating time at marginally higher cost.
Many patients who are having arthritis in their knees and are becoming more aware about the benefits of Total Knee Replacement are now opting for minimally invasive surgery with ceramic implants and this might soon include Custom Fit Joint Replacement Surgery.
–Agencies