A total knee replacement is an excellent way to relieve the pain and stiffness caused by arthritis in the knee. Total knee arthroplasty is a surgery that replaces the knee joint with a prosthetic device that does the same thing as a person’s own knee. This surgery to replace a knee has become common in many hospitals. Today, you can find many hospitals and surgeons specialising in total knee replacement surgery. However, many people think that total knee replacement is surely safe? Let’s readout.
Who needs Total Knee Replacement Surgery?
The people who are good candidates for total knee replacement surgery are those whose knees have been damaged by progressive arthritis, trauma, or other rare diseases of the joint. The most common reason for a knee replacement is osteoarthritis of the knees, which is a severe condition.
Regardless of what happened to the joint, the pain and stiffness kept getting worse, and the person’s ability to do everyday things got reduced. This made the person think about having a total knee replacement. Decisions about whether or when to have knee replacement surgery aren’t easy. Before patients make decisions about knee replacement, they should think about both the risks and the benefits and make sure they know both.
Positive Results
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, 90% of knee replacement people feel less pain.
It helps many people stay active and may allow them to do things they used to enjoy, like walking and playing.
Even after 15 years over 90% of replacement knees still work. Not only this, it still works 82% even after 25 years. Most people with successful knee replacement end up with a better quality of life, less pain, and more mobility than before.
After a year, many people say they have made big changes in:
- Energy
- Stiffness
- Pain
- Physical function
Safety and Problems.
For most people, surgery to replace a knee is safe and works well. Only about 2% of people have very bad problems, like getting an infection or blood clot.
-
Infection
Newer practices of giving antibiotics before and during surgery have dramatically cut the risk of infection. In 1981, one expert thought that the infection rate after knee surgery was 9.1%. It now stands at around 1 to 2%.
Diabetes, obesity, and old age are all risk factors for infection.
-
Blood clots and DVT.
After surgery, blood clots can form. These are called deep vein thrombosis or DVTs, and they happen when there is a buildup of blood in the vein. If a DVT breaks off and travels to the lungs, it can be life-threatening.
1.2% of people who had total knee replacement surgery were hospitalized with blood clots in the first 90 days. 0.9 percent of these people had DVT, and 0.3 percent had PE, which is more dangerous.
Osteolysis
Osteolysis (death of bone) happens when tiny pieces of plastic from the knee implant cause inflammation. Over time, the knee joint can become loose.
According to research, osteolysis is the most common reason why a total knee replacement doesn’t last long enough to need a second operation (revision).
Stiffness
People who have knee replacement surgery often have problems with their joints becoming stiff or “arthrofibrosis.” It happens when scar tissue forms in the knee and makes it hard for the new joint to move.
The best way to avoid stiffness is to do the exercises your doctor or nurse tells you to do.
Pain
As a result of knee surgery, pain is usually less. The statistics aren’t always the same, but one source says that 20% of people may still have pain even after a well-done surgery.
Revision
As time goes on after the first knee replacement, people may need to have another one done. This is called a “revision.”
Experts say that only 5% of people will need to make changes in 10 years. It turns out that 29.8% of these are because the joint came loose, 14.8% are because of infection, and 9.5% are because of pain.
A person at risk for complications will be told about this during the evaluation process. In some situations, a doctor might not recommend surgery because the risks outweigh the benefits.
Takeaway
After knee replacement surgery, most people notice an improvement in their:
- The level of quality of life activities
- mobility
However, most people who have had knee problems will not be as mobile and active as people who have never had problems with their knees will be.
Getting a knee replacement isn’t very dangerous, but some risks are. Before having knee surgery, you should know the risks and talk about them with your doctor.
If you are looking for expert advice, Lyfboat can help! We provide the best information on the treatment, hospitals, surgeons, and knee replacement cost in India. To read more about our health blogs, please visit our website.
