A knee replacement is a resurfacing surgery rather than replacement. The joint itself is not replaced, as commonly thought, but rather an artificial substitute for the cartilage is inserted on the end of the bones. This is done with a metal alloy on the femur and tibia with a plastic spacer in between them and occasionally the patella (kneecap). Along with the resurfacing any amount of malalignment present, is also corrected.

The purpose of doing a knee replacement surgery is to decrease the pain, improve the movement and alignment of the knee joint. The ultimate aim of the surgery is to improve the quality of life of the deceased person.

There are two types, partial and total knee replacement

When only one compartment of the knee joint is worn out due to arthritis, it is possible to replace only that part of the joint. This is usually done through a smaller incision and the recovery is also faster as compared to total knee replacement.

When the pain hampers your activities of daily living, when the knee joints are severely malaligned or when a patient has been on pain killers for prolonged period, that is the time you should consult your doctor for knee replacement surgery

In early stage when the joint is not severely damaged, patients can be managed by non invasive modalities like hot fomentation, short course of anti-inflammatory drugs ,physiotherapy.
But once the joint surface(cartilage) is severely damaged, there is no alternative to this procedure.

Knee replacement implants are expected to last for more than 10 -15 years. Not all cases require a second replacement.
But if due to some unforeseen reason the implant loosen then the patient may require a revision surgery.

Bleeding and clot formation are the most dreaded complications after joint replacement surgery. These are taken care by prophylactic use of antibiotics and blood thinners. Special precautions are also taken in the operating room to prevent infection.

Preoperative physiotherapy exercises are always advantageous as they help in hastening the post-operative recovery.

Not all patients require blood transfusion. It is only decided after pre anaesthesia check-up, whether a patient will require blood or not

Most patients are hospitalised one day prior to the surgery and for five days after the surgery

Patients have maximum pain during the first 48 hours after the surgery. During this period patient is kept under continuous monitoring and appropriate measures are taken to decrease the intensity of the pain. Our anaesthetist will discuss with you what pain control option is best for you.

Yes. Physical therapy will continue after you go home with a therapist in your home or at an outpatient physical-therapy facility. The length of time required for this type of therapy varies with each patient. We will help you with these arrangements before you go home.

We recommend that most people take at least one month off from work, even if your job allows you to sit frequently. More strenuous jobs will require a longer absence from work.

Ten days after discharge for suture removal. The frequency of follow-up visits will depend on your progress.