Osteoarthritis
is the primary cause of deformity and disability of the knee joint. It is the
process of wear and tear of the articular cartilage, the connective tissue
within the joint.
The
cartilage prevents the scraping of two bones, and it acts as the shock
absorber. When it gets damaged, the movements no longer remain subtle and
smooth.
Thinned
cartilage also causes inflammation and stiffness of the joint and the movements
become restricted.
Statistics
indicate that almost one-third of the people above 50 years are affected by it.
Partial
knee replacement surgery, a popular surgical remedy
As
the name indicates, in the partial knee replacement surgery only the damaged
knee cartilage is replaced with prosthesis.
Both
medial and lateral types of osteoarthritis can be treated by using this method.
Medial means the portion of a knee which is nearer to the other knee. In the
majority of the cases, the medial portion gets degenerated.
Lateral
means the portion which is farther to the other knee.
After
weighing it on different parameters he decides whether to choose the surgery or
not.
Key
aspects that decide whether you are the right candidate for it
- · Does the knee pain persist in spite of taking anti-inflammatory medicines and keeping the ideal weight?
- What is the exact area of pain?
- · How much is the stability of the knee and how much is the range of motion?
- · Is the anterior ligament is intact, and the range of motion is satisfactory?
- · Is the knee stable and the damage has happened to only one compartment?
- · What is the angle of deformity?
In
most of the cases, doctors take X-Ray image to check the exact condition.
However, it is not possible to determine it correctly unless doctors open the
knee for correction.
Gone
are the days when the knee replacement surgery was considered a procedure for
people above 60 years. Nowadays, even young patients are also considered for
it.
The
surgery
When
you are taken to the operation table for a knee replacement surgery a
small incision is made on the affected compartment of the knee. Doctors move
the supporting structure of the knee and take out the damaged bone tissues and
cartilage. It is done for both femur and tibia.
Surgeons
prepare these surfaces for replacement of the damaged cartilage with prosthesis
components. They are made of metal and plastic.
The
artificial components are fixed with the knee joints using special cement.
After restoring the surrounding tissues and structures to the anatomic position,
the incision is closed.
Minimally
invasive knee replacement
Though
partial knee replacement relieves pain and restores mobility, many patients
hesitate to undergo the surgery due to the fear of pain and other side-effects.
Modern
pain management techniques and minimally invasive surgeries make it pretty
simple and risk-free. They not only
minimize the tissue trauma but reduce the postoperative troubles as well.
Patients
get recover fast, and they are relieved from the hospital early. The need for
physiotherapy is also quite less in this surgery.
In
less invasive surgery, small incisions are made, and the damages cartilage is
replaced with the artificial cartilage.
Some
people are advised to go for the option of installing the unispacer. It is a device
that is inserted in the diseased knee joint. This device acts as a shim that
separated the damaged surface.
Conclusion
Because
of high success rate, partial knee replacement surgery (both invasive and
non-invasive) is quite popular today. Proper exercise and physiotherapy recovers the
patient quickly. Every year thousands of people get benefited by it and live the
normal life but for that consult to the best
Partial Knee Replacement surgeon |
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