Knee Replacement

Total Knee joint Replacement (TKR) also known as total knee arthroplasty
It is a surgery involving removal of diseased joint surface and resurfacing it with an artificial implant.

There are several reasons to recommend knee arthroplasty.

Knee pain or stiffness that limits your everyday activities getting in and out of chairs or bed, walking, climbing stairs etc.
Chronic knee inflammation that does not improve with rest or medications.
Knee deformity — a bowing in or out of your knee
Failure to substantially improve with other treatments such as anti-inflammatory medications, cortisone injections, lubricating injections, physical therapy, or other surgeries
Life style diseases secondary to immobility- obesity, diabetes, hypertension, loss of general health.

The surgeon makes an incision on anterior aspect of knee. He then cuts through deeper tissue.
Both meniscus, ACL and PCL (in PCL sacrificing technique) are excised.
Once the femur and tibial joint surfaces are exposed, the surgeon makes precise cuts in both bones using specialized instruments.
Trial implantation is done.
Joint stability and mobility is assessed.
Once found satisfactory, original implant components are attached to the femur and tibia.
A surgeon may resurface the back of the kneecap, or patella. A polyethylene component may be attached to cut undersurface of patella.
A spacer made of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene/ higly cross linked polymer is attached on top of the new tibia baseplate.
The surgeon will repair any deep tissue that was cut during surgery and then stitch the skin at the incision.

Hospital stay in usually 3-5 days for single knee and 5-7 days for both knee surgery.
Area of concerns will be pain management, deep vein thrombosis prevention, patient mobilization and complication prevention.
The stitches or staples on your wound will be removed two weeks after surgery.
Your wound will need regular dressings to be done only by an authorized person at regular interval till suture/staple removal.
Exercise is an important component of TKR.
You should be able to resume washroom activities in 3-5 days.
You should be able to resume most normal activities within 3 to 6 weeks following surgery.
Some pain with activity and at night is common for several weeks after surgery.
Your activity program should aim at:
- A walking program to slowly increase your mobility.
- Resuming normal household activities, such as sitting, standing, and climbing stairs.
- Exercises to restore movement and strengthen your knee.