Is your knee pain preventing you from living your life to the fullest? Are you planning to undergo a knee replacement? If the answer to both these questions is yes, then this blog surely has been written for you. You must have heard the term knee replacement many times before and as the name suggests, it is quite understandable that the procedure has got to do something with your knees. If we define the procedure in simple words, knee replacement is one of the most frequently performed orthopaedic surgeries, that involves the replacement of a damaged knee joint with a new prosthetic joint so as to alleviate the painful symptoms and enhance the range of motion. More than 1.2 lakh knee replacement procedures are performed every year in India. You can find some of the best knee replacement hospitals in Indore that offer cutting-edge care and facilities for patients who are in need of a knee replacement.

The first knee replacement surgery was performed in 1968 and since then the procedure has evolved considerably, owing to improvisation of surgical materials and techniques. The latest technological advancements have added to the accuracy and precision thereby adding to the safety and effectiveness. However, it is pertinent to note that knee replacement is usually the last resort of treatment when other, non-invasive treatments fail to work.

Preparing for the surgery:

As per the best knee replacement specialists in Indore, pre-surgical preparation on behalf of the patients is extremely important as this greatly influences the outcomes of the procedure. The patient might be asked to take certain medications or dietary supplements prior to the surgery. If you are already on any other medication, you need to inform your doctor about the same as you might need to suspend their use till the surgery is done.

A series of tests and screenings will be performed to evaluate and assess the extent of damage and figure out a proper treatment protocol.

What happens during the procedure?

The procedure is carried out under the influence of anaesthesia. Doctors specialising in joint replacement in Indore, decide whether to use general anaesthesia or local anaesthesia depending upon the patient’s input and preference. Some antibiotics may also be administered intravenously to alleviate the risks of peri and post-operational infections.

Once the patient is in a sedated state, the affected knee is slightly bent in a position to expose the affected area. This is followed by making a 15 to 25 cm long incision to access the damaged joint. The doctor removes the damaged joint and its fragments and replaces it with a prosthetic joint. Once the new joint is aligned properly, the doctors clean the wound and close it up, however, before this is done, they might bend or rotate your knee to ensure that there is no loss of flexibility. It takes about 2 to 2.5 hours to complete the surgery.

The patients are directly shifted to the ICU, where they are kept under observation for at least 12 hours, post which they are transferred to their room. The patients are generally required to stay in the hospital for a week or so, during which the major focus is on encouraging foot and ankle movement as well as reducing the post-procedural pain and inflammation. This is done with the help of physiotherapy. It may take up to months to recover completely, however, this period can be reduced significantly by following the proper rehabilitation guidelines.