Total Knee Replacement Surgery

About Total Knee Replacement Surgery- The following is provided to you by WorldMed Assist, Medical Tourism experts, and contains general information that may not apply to you. You should consult with your physician about your specific situation.

What is Total Knee Replacement Surgery?

With total knee replacement surgery, the damaged parts of your knee that need repair will be removed and replaced with artificial parts called prostheses. At surgery, an implant, especially selected to match your needs, will be affixed to the underlying bones.

For some patients, an acrylic cement, PMMA, will be used for the fixation. This cement has been used successfully by dentists for over 45 years. It is a strong material, well-tolerated by the body and sets or cures within 15 minutes after it is mixed. Before curing, the cement is pressure-injected and the implants are seated. Because the bond is strong, most patients are able to bear weight on the operated leg within several days after surgery.

For other patients, the implants are able to be affixed to the bones without cement. Special surgical instruments are used to precisely prepare the bones so as to enable a press fit. To supplement this joining, supportive screws or pegs are often used. Bone is a living and growing tissue. If an implant coated with metallic beads to form a porous undersurface is placed in very close contact to living bone, tissues can grow into the pores, further locking the implant in place. Porous-coated knee prostheses have been used for many years and have excellent results in many patients.

Knee Prosthesis

How Long Will the Implant Last?

The longevity of the implant depends on many factors such as the patient's weight, the patient's activity level, and the presence or absence of disease in other joints of the lower extremities. Implants can last ten to fifteen years and even longer. New techniques allow for an implant to be removed and replaced, but our goal is to be able to implant a prosthesis that will last the patient a lifetime without revision.

Time

Most patients are hospitalized for about a week and a half. The surgery takes about two hours to perform. Patients must use support in two hands for about six weeks after surgery while their muscles are rehabilitating.

Results

Results are impressive and gratifying to both the patient and the surgeon. Most patients are pain-free and able to bend their knees from 90° to 100°, resuming daily activities without restriction. It is important to remember, however, that the replaced knee is artificial and there may be occasional discomfort in the knee area as well as some numbness in the skin around the surgical scar. The remarkable results of total knee replacement are due to patient determination, the surgeon's skill, and the bioengineers' well-designed implants and instruments. Continued advances in the field can be expected to result in continuing success in the future.

Related topics:
Orthopedics | Partial Knee Replacement | Hip Resurfacing | Hip Replacement | Rotator Cuff Surgery

About WorldMed Assist

Experts in medical tourism, WorldMed Assist's mission is to improve lives by helping patients receive high quality medical treatment abroad at affordable prices. WorldMed Assist coordinates and simplifies every aspect of care and travel. WorldMed Assist also provides medical tourism as an option for self-insured businesses seeking expanded and affordable healthcare options for employees. Surgery in Belgium, Mexico, India, Turkey and other carefully selected destinations matched with the client's needs is significantly less expensive than in the U.S., yet delivered with the same or higher quality care and results as set by U.S. standards. Waiting times are virtually eliminated, track records are proven, and facilities are state-of-the-art. For more information, go to http://www.worldmedassist.com