KNEE CAFÉ

To know what a Knee Replacement is, you first need to understand what arthritis is.

 

Arthritis in simple terms is the natural process of wear and tear of the cartilage present in your joints. It can be age/ obesity/ misuse related (noticed in later life) or Rheumatoid in origin (noticed early in life). Cartilage is a strong structure which provides your joints shock absorption and low coefficient of friction. As one ages his cartilage layer starts to thin out and eventually wears out completely leaving the underlying bone exposed. The bones then start to rub against each other causing tremendous pain and sometimes swelling. If untreated at this stage, they progress to further damage and prolonged debilitation. Patients then are unable to walk or do the day to day activities, even simple things like sitting on the toilet seat seems like a difficult task. It's not just the bones that suffer, the musculature around the joint suffers too.   

 

These conditions are irreversible and cannot be managed conservatively. Hence Knee Replacement or Total Knee Arthroplasty is advised to such patients. In that we replace the worn out area of the bones with metal-plastic implants. The source of pain once taken out makes it easy for the patients to walk, climb and do all other routine activities that previously were impossible. 

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The process:

The above diagram explains the entire process in short. After a physicians fitness for the surgery is obtained ( suggesting that the patient is medically fit for the surgery, with no or minimal heart condition), a suitable day/date is decided for the surgery. The patient is requested to get admitted in the hospital a day prior. The instructions are repeated and further details like limb marking and paper work are undertaken. A medicated soap solution is offered for bathing that night and next morning prior to the surgery. The patient is wheeled in to the operating room and details verified. Once the anaesthesia is done, the leg is thoroughly cleaned again. A final check on all resources is verified and the team of surgeons then goes to wash themselves. After dawning space suits (visit gallery to view pics of the attire) the limb is exsanguinated and a tourniquet is inflated (to prevent blood loss). The surgeon then begins the actual surgery during which he cuts through layers to reach the bone, excise the worn out and arthritic portion, try appropriate size of implant and finally cement the final product. But before that, a final check is done to confirm alignment and movement. The wound is finally closed after a final wash and compression dressing applied before shifting the patient to recovery room. The pain control is mostly achieved with either injectables (IV/Epidural), oral or transdermal path. The patient is encouraged to stand/ walk the same day and as physiotherapy progresses, to achieve desired milestones before discharge from hospital which usually is on 3rd post op day. Follow up after 2 weeks brings us to the removal of stitches while patients describe their successful mobility. The pain of surgery lasts for an average of 2 months and is of diminishing trend.   

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While it is important to know that every living individual will suffer with the pain of arthritis at some point of their lives, it's not necessary that everyone gets debilitated. The ones who do should keep a check on the duration and distance of their walk, because after a certain limit they do get bed or house bound. Their walking and other daily activities must be restored at the earliest, and pain free. Hence this surgery has become a mainstay in such conditions and its benefits are only evident from the number of people getting it done here in India and abroad. 

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Please feel free to write back to me regarding your queries and other comments. Evaluate your Knee Right here Right NOW! 

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