FAQs: Total Knee Replacement Procedure

Whether or not you’re a Rothman Orthopaedic Institute patient, we’re happy to be able to offer you some helpful answers in this article, which addresses some of the frequently asked questions of many knee replacement candidates.

 

 

Well, the easy answer to this question is that anyone suffering from severe knee arthritis should consider getting a knee replacement. The more complicated aspect to answering this question is in the fact that pain is measured subjectively. That’s why the decision to move forward with surgery should really be between a patient and his or her doctor. The fact of the matter is that you only have one coating of cartilage to last you your entire lifetime. If that cartilage is significantly damaged, the bones of the knee joint will begin rubbing together and the result will be inflammation and pain. No one wants to live with a painful, unstable arthritic knee. For patients with this severe level of knee arthritis, a knee replacement procedure can dramatically increase their quality of life. There are, of course, other trauma and injury related reasons to consider having a total knee replacement, but arthritis is the primary motivator. Talk to your physician about your pain level.

 

When your cartilage wears away over the years, it leaves bone-on-bone interaction within the knee joint. During the joint replacement surgery, prosthesis can take the place of the damaged parts of the knee. But because just the surface of the joint is removed, this procedure is sometimes referred to as joint resurfacing. A total knee replacement procedure involves the shaving off of the arthritic ends of the bones and replacing them with new surfaces, which are made of either metal and/or medical-grade plastic material. 

 

Knee replacements have become an extremely successful and popular procedure. For patients who maintain a healthy weight, are reasonably active and protect themselves against infection, prosthetic knees can provide a lifetime solution! While there is no guarantee of the joint lasting for the rest of a patient’s life, there are some pretty impressive statistics associated with total knee replacement procedures:

Outside of the occasional case of inflamed leg veins (can be fairly easily avoided by using knee motion machines, blood thinners, support stockings, etc.), there are very few complications. This procedure has been refined by the nation’s top joint replacement specialists, like the ones who practice at Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, and therefore, most of the procedure’s original complications have been virtually eliminated over the years. 

 

However, infection is one of the remaining concerns. Find out if the hospital where you’ll have your surgery has a specially designed OR to keep out any dust, germs or unclean air. At Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, surgeons take special care to wear special body suits that transport exhaled air out of the surgical field, keeping patients as safe as possible. For that reason, Rothman Orthopaedic Institute can boast an incredibly low rate of infection: less than 0.5%! 

 

If your total knee replacement procedure is done well, you should be able to expect a successful result and a standard recovery, which includes a 2 week post-op visit for the removal of sutures or staples (if you have any) and another visit between 4 and 6 weeks to assess incision healing, mobility, range of motion, etc.

 

Remember that knee replacements are very popular, very successful procedures, but you should always put the odds in your favor by staying in good shape and maintaining a weight that is healthy for your height and body type. Talk to your physician to get more specific advice and counsel concerning whether you should have a total knee replacement. If you’re still looking for a care provider, we encourage you to call Rothman Orthopaedic Institute today!