Important Decisions To Be Taken For A Total Knee Replacement Surgery
21 JulTotal knee replacement is a highly successful surgical procedure that involves replacement of all three compartments of the knee – the inside medial compartment, the outside lateral compartment, and the front patellofemoral compartment. This kind of surgery is performed on patients who have severe knee injuries or defects. This is not the first step taken for any knee related issue. A doctor will always consider the patient’s age, lifestyle, and knee condition before suggesting him a knee replacement. And before doing so, the doctor will always try other options like medications, walking aids, physical therapies, and exercises.
However, if you are planning to undergo a total knee replacement in Bangalore, you must understand what the procedure involves and all other information related to the same. A total knee replacement involves trimming of the lower end of the thigh bone in a way that it can accept a specially shaped metal component, and clipping of the upper end of the shin bone to accept a metal tray with a plastic bearing fitted into it. These prostheses can be attached to the bone with the help of bone cement, or in a cementless procedure. Whether you need bone cement attachment or a cementless procedure can be advised to your by your surgeon. Another important thing that your surgeon will decide is whether your natural kneecap will be retained or will be resurfaced. Also, the Cruciate ligaments that provide support to and stabilize the knee movement can be removed or kept, depending upon the condition of the patient’s knee, and the type of knee implant and surgery to be performed.
Another consideration is about the plastic implants that are to be joined to the bone. These may either be fixed or movable. This means that the polyethylene insertion is either clicked onto a stationary platform and fixed in place, or is able to move on a rotating metal base. The fixed prosthesis dramatically reduces knee pain and lasts for many years, which is why it is more preferred. However, a mobile prosthesis is suggested if the patient is young, overweight, or hyper-active. This is to have a potentially longer performance with lesser wearing out of the prosthesis. Additionally, there is a medial pivot implant that replicates the rotating, bending, twisting, flexion, and stability of the natural knee so that it feels more natural.
Last but not the least, another important option that needs to be decided upon when choosing an implant is whether to use customized or personalized ones. This depends on whether the skeleton of the patient is smaller or bigger than average. Regular-sized implants may overhang on the bone and lead to soft tissue interference or mid-flexion instability in people with narrow femurs.
However, there are circumstances when a surgeon preserves part of the knee through resurfacing or partially replacing components of the arthritic knee of the patient. This is known as partial knee resurfacing, which is an innovative procedure designed to provide quicker recovery and improved surgical outcome. This is suitable for patients with damage confined to only one part of the knee that can be resurfaced without compromising the healthy part of the bone and tissue surrounding it. In these cases, the implants are custom-made using computer aided design from a special digital imaging of the knee.
If you have been suggested to undergo a total knee replacement by your doctor, make sure you purchase your prostheses and bone cement if required from Aditi Corporation, the leading prostheses suppliers for successful total knee replacement in Bangalore since the past decade.