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Total knee replacement is a last resort treatment used to repair severely damaged knee joints that are no longer responding to other conservative treatments.
1. Indication for knee replacement
Parts to be replaced (Resurfacing): facet of the femoral condyle; tibial plateau; patella
Diseases causing damage to the knee joint: Mostly due to primary knee osteoarthritis in the elderly - women suffer more; Some other causes: damaged joints after trauma; arthritis - synovial membrane damages joint cartilage...
Contraindications : when there is an outbreak of infection in any part of the body; knee stiffness due to loss of knee extensor (tendon, patella, quadriceps); limb occlusion. Or the existence of a life-threatening disease.
2. How do you know if you need knee replacement surgery?
Knee replacement surgery may be an option when non-surgical interventions such as medication, physical therapy, and the use of crutches or other walking aids no longer provide pain relief. Other signs may include pain in the joints, followed by periods of relative pain relief; pain persists after using analgesics; loss of mobility; stiffness after periods of inactivity or rest; and/or pain seems to increase in wet weather.
Your primary care physician can refer you to an orthopedic surgeon who will help you determine when/if it is time for knee surgery and what type of knee surgery is appropriate. unify. Your surgeon may decide that knee replacement surgery is not appropriate if you have an infection, don't have enough bone, or the bone isn't strong enough to support the artificial knee joint.
Doctors often try to delay total knee replacement as long as possible for a less invasive treatment. With that said, if you have advanced joint disease, a knee replacement can offer a chance for pain relief and a return to normal activities.
3. How popular is knee replacement method in the world?
Knee replacement is a routine surgery performed on more than 600,000 people worldwide each year. More than 90% of people who have had a total knee replacement experience an improvement in knee pain and an improvement in function.
4. How do you get an accurate knee condition diagnosis?
To diagnose your condition, an orthopedic surgeon will perform a thorough examination of your knee. Necessary tests: X-ray; Magnetic Resonance or Tomography; Measure osteoporosis. . .
You will be asked to describe your pain, if you have joint pain and if you have suffered from past injuries that may affect your current knee condition. It may be helpful to keep a log of your knee pain to share with your doctor.
Your knee joints will then be tested for strength and range of motion through a series of physical exams, including knee flexion, extension, and walking.
5. Signs It's Time to Consider Knee Replacement Surgery
Your pain persists or recurs over time Your knee pain during and after exercise You are not able to move your knee as well as you would like The use of medication and crutches does not provide effective pain relief give your pillow your knee hard when sitting in the car or the movie theater You feel pain in rainy weather The pain keeps you from sleeping. You feel a decrease in knee motion or the degree to which you can bend your knee decreases. Your knees are stiff or swollen You have trouble walking or climbing stairs You have trouble getting in and out of chairs and the tub You experience morning stiffness that usually lasts less than 30 minutes (as opposed to stiffness that lasts more than 45 minutes, a sign of an inflammatory condition known as rheumatoid arthritis) You feel very uncomfortable with your knee You have had a previous injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in your knee
6. At what age can joint replacement be?
The majority of patients are between 50 and 80 years old. But with today's technological advancements, joint replacement can be made for teenagers or very old people (≥ 100 years old).
7. Realistic expectations after knee replacement?
You need to understand thoroughly that: after the knee replacement surgery, you must not do vigorous activities or play contact sports, such as: running, jumping, climbing, somersaults; Do not squat, cross your legs, or cross your legs.
However, you can comfortably walk, drive, play golf, swim, cycle and some other light sports.
8. What to prepare before joint replacement surgery?
Thorough examination and complete medical records:
Examination to determine disease and extent of joint damage; general health status. Assess risk factors, unwanted complications. Necessary tests: X-ray; Magnetic Resonance or Tomography; blood tests, urine tests, electrocardiograms or additional tests when there are comorbidities. Read, understand thoroughly and sign the Agreements to use the service at the hospital. Checking the previous drug use situation, the Clinical Pharmacist will provide detailed instructions on how to use the medicine before, during and after surgery.
When there are enough medical records, anesthesia will be examined. Here, the anesthesiologist agrees to choose the method of anesthesia or anesthesia for you; Explain postoperative pain relief.
Need to treat existing inflammatory foci (Dental caries; Painful urination); lose weight if you are obese; Arrange work and home care plan well – although after surgery you can walk on two crutches early.
If there is skin irritation or dermatitis in the surgical area, it also needs to be stabilized before joint replacement surgery.
9. The surgical process
You must fast for 6 hours before surgery, because if there is food in the stomach, it is easy to choke and stop breathing during surgery. Hospitalization, check-in, additional body hygiene at least 01 hour before surgery. You do not need to bring any personal items when you are admitted to the hospital because your own room already has everything you will need during your hospital stay. The medical staff in charge will mark the incision for you (To avoid confusion on the operating side) The operating room staff will pick you up, check your records, prepare and take you to the operating room to prepare for spinal anesthesia or anesthesia. Surgical technique (in brief): Incision of the skin along the middle of the knee from the tibial tuberosity to the top of the kneecap, the length of the incision is about 10 -15cm. Open into the knee joint. Cut off damaged parts. Cut the shaping slices and put the artificial joint in. Check the accuracy and stability of the artificial joint. Finally, a drain is inserted from the joint and the incision is sutured. The drain will be removed after 48 hours. Vinmec International General Hospital has performed minimally invasive treatment and surgery for total knee replacement with many outstanding advantages:
Safe and effective surgery in a one-way sterile operating room system , ensuring maximum safety for the patient, less damage to the soft tissues around the joint, short surgery time, accurately revealing the joint to be replaced, minimizing the risk of infection, reducing the number of days in hospital after surgery. The team of doctors and staff is professional, experienced, and highly qualified. Implement advanced pain relief techniques under the guidance of ultrasound, ensure the accuracy and effectiveness of pain relief techniques in surgery and after surgery Artificial joints at Vinmec International General Hospital with all types, depending on the economy, needs and condition of the patient. The hospital always has the best artificial joints available such as the American PERSONA knee joint with many advantages such as less bone resection, stable joints, reduced postoperative pain, optimal infection risk reduction... Patients are trained to exercise. Rehabilitation on the 2nd day after surgery with the support of postoperative pain relief techniques, helping patients return to normal activities as soon as possible. To register for examination and treatment at Vinmec International General Hospital, you can contact Vinmec Health System nationwide, or register online HERE
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