Types of Knee Replacement Surgery

Knee replacement surgery is one of the most complex orthopedic operations. It used to be rare and somewhat dangerous, but it has become more common and more effective, as well as longer lasting, as technology has gotten better and better over the past 10 years. There used to be only one choice when you needed a total knee replacement. Now there are three options.

Identification

• There are three types of knee replacement surgeries available today. The standard knee replacement is one where the surgeon makes an incision approximately 6 to 9 inches long, depending on the patient and the needs of the surgeon. The upper and lower parts of the leg bones, as well as the patella, are removed, the bone smoothed and shaped and prosthetic pieces replace the original bone. The incision is then closed and rehab begin immediately. The second type of knee replacement surgery is minimally invasive knee surgery. This is where a smaller incision is made, anywhere from 4 to 6 inches, and more work is done with smaller tools. The process is the same as a full replacement. The third type of knee replacement is the compartmental replacement. This is where only the section of the knee that is diseased is removed and replaced with a prosthetic. It is not as common and does not have as high a success rate as a full replacement, but it is being experimented with more and more.

Considerations

• Before a patient goes through a knee replacement, it is important to consider all the options. Even with today's advances, knee replacements are not made to last a lifetime. Most people who have knee replacements are over 50. Another thing to consider is your health and activity level. If you are frail, have an autoimmune disease or are grossly overweight, you may not be able to handle the surgery. The operation places a strain on your body and heart, and you will be evaluated for your ability to come through the surgery and the recovery safely. Remember, once you have this surgery, sports will not be an option, so any activity you have in that area will be severely limited or even forbidden.

Identification

• Standard knee replacement is done when the surgeon suspects there may be extensive damage or when he needs more room to move around or use larger instruments. This is usually the choice for patients with repeated knee surgeries or trauma. Minimally invasive surgery is the choice when the patient has no history of previous surgeries and has not had a trauma and when the surgeon is comfortable working within the smaller area. Compartmental replacement surgery is only used when one side of the knee is damaged or diseased, such as when only one side of the knee joint is deformed or injured.

Benefits

• The benefits of knee replacement surgery are as major as the operation itself. Many times, the patient has been suffering years of pain and quality of life has slipped to the level of unhappiness. Within 24 hours of the knee replacement operation, patients will be up and fully putting weight on their replaced joint. Despite the pain of the surgery itself, patients are often amazed at the immediate lessening or vanishing of the pain inside the joint. Patients can recover to have normal active lives. The only restrictions will be running, jumping, and sports where the joint is put under stress. Patients who have had this surgery are almost always glad they did it.

Function

• The function of any type of knee replacement is to remove the diseased and degenerated bone and tissue and replace it with man-made prosthetic material that will allow the joint to function again as it is supposed to, smoothly and without pain. Knee replacement does not try tp resurface or repair the bone but to remove it completely. By replacing the upper and lower parts of the leg bones, all diseased bone is replaced. The same applies to the patella, or kneecap. The knee cap is removed and a plastic one is put in, then a saline solution and numbing agent are injected into the joint. Once the incision has healed, the body uses the joint as its own, with the great exception of having no pain.