What is knee replacement surgery?
Knee replacement surgery is also known as knee arthroplasty. It is a procedure to replace the damaged knee joints with artificial joints. The surgical process helps in relieving pain and disability.
Where to find the best knee replacement surgeon in South Delhi?
Looking for the best knee and joint replacement surgeon in South Delhi? At CMK, we have the best empaneled knee doctors and surgeons with us. With a noble cause of making India Knee pain-free, DR D K Das initiated CMK. He is also one of the best Knee Replacement Surgeon in South Delhi. With profound knowledge and more than 22 years of experience, he has treated more than 10,000 patients in India and abroad. You can visit curemyknee.com to get in contact with him and the other empaneled surgeons of CMK who are experts in their fields.
Who needs Knee Replacement Surgery?
An individual may need Knee Replacement Surgery for several reasons but the most common reason is severe arthritis or a severe knee injury.
The knee joint can be affected by various kinds of arthritis.
Types of Knee Arthritis
1. Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis (OA) or degenerative joint disease is the most common form of arthritis. It is caused by the “wear and tear” in the joints. This type of arthritis mostly affects the hands, hips, and knees in middle-aged and older adults.
Symptoms
- Pain or aching
- Stiffness
- Decreased range of motion (or flexibility)
- Swelling
2. Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, is an inflammatory disease. In this kind of arthritis, your immune system attacks healthy cells in your body.
RA causes inflammation of the synovial membrane and results in excessive synovial fluid, which can lead to pain and stiffness.
Symptoms
- Pain or aching in more than one joint
- Stiffness in more than one joint
- Tenderness and swelling in more than one joint
- The same symptoms on both sides of the body (such as in both hands or both knees)
- Weight loss
- Fever
- Fatigue or tiredness
- Weakness
3. Post-traumatic Arthritis
Post-traumatic knee arthritis causes the same symptoms as osteoarthritis, but this is caused because of a fracture or tear.
The knee injury may heal but it can cause the joint to move differently causing more wear on the cartilage and bones.
Symptoms
- Joint tenderness
- A crunching sound in the knee joints
- Joint redness
- Warmth in the knees
- Decreased range of motion
- Knee pain when weight applied
- Joint swelling
What is the procedure of Knee Replacement Surgery?
Knee Replacement Surgery is a process where the damaged knee is removed and replaced with an artificial knee made of alloy. Anesthesia is required for knee surgery. There are two types of anesthesia- general anesthesia and spinal anesthesia. General anesthesia makes you unconscious whereas spinal anesthesia doesn’t make you unconscious however you won’t feel any pain down your waist.
Also, the patient is given an intravenous antibiotic before, during, and after the surgery to prevent any kind of infection.
After these procedures, the patient is ready for surgery. During the surgery, the patient’s knee is bent at an angle to make it easier for the surgeon to get access to all the surfaces of the joint. An incision of 6-10 inches is made and all the damaged joint surfaces are cut and removed. Then, the artificial joint is attached to the patient’s knee. The knee replacement surgeon does one final check to ensure that the knee is moving fine then the incision is closed.
The whole process takes around 30-50 minutes.
Some patients can go home the same day as the surgery while some patients need to stay in the hospital for a day or two. It depends on the individual’s requirement
