Knee Replacement

Do I need a knee replacement?

Knee replacement surgery is beneficial for severe knee pain associated with x-ray changes of bone on bone arthritis. You may feel this is required when the various treatments you may have undertaken for arthritis have failed. These include weight reduction, physiotherapy, steroid injections or knee arthroscopy (keyhole surgery). The decision will be best made when you see me in clinic. I will go through various options of treatment, discussing the pros and cons of each from which we can make a joint decision in your best interest.

What are the benefits of a knee replacement?

Knee replacement surgery is successful in improving the pain one experiences from arthritis of the knee. Through a reduction of pain one can expect an improvement of function. It will increase the movement of the knee if stiff beforehand. It can enhance the quality of life enabling some to return to sport. The benefits of this operation should be considered in conjunction with the risks when making a decision to proceed for surgery.

What are the risks of a knee replacement ?

Most patients have a good outcome following a knee replacement and complications remain few.

Common risks are stiffness, numbness adjacent to the scar, swelling and some degree of persistent pain.

Less common risks are infection, deep vein thrombosis  [DVT] and instability.

Rare complications are nerve and vessel damage, fractures and pulmonary embolism.

Long-term loosening and wear of the prosthesis may necessitate revision knee surgery.

Great care is taken to minimise the risks to you such as clean air theatres and antibiotics for infection. Antithrombotic medication and elasticated stockings to reduce the risk of DVT. Surgical precision and careful soft tissue handling to reduce pain and improve long term outcomes.

Will I have a lot of pain after surgery?

Knee replacement is a major operation which will produce a degree of pain after surgery. Numerous measures will be taken to reduce the pain during your stay in the hospital. This will begin with a spinal anaesthetic or general anaesthetic with a nerve block. Both of these measures will reduce the pain felt after surgery in conjunction with pain relieving medication. At the end of the surgery local anaesthetic injections into the joint will assist with pain relief after surgery.  Cold compress to the knee using a device called cryocuff will be provided and will aid in easing the pain.

How long will my recovery take?

I would expect you to be in hospital for 2 to 3 days after surgery. You will be able to walk either on the day or day after the operation with the help of crutches or a Zimmer frame. Following the operation you will receive physiotherapy and will be advised on the do’s and dont’s. After discharge a physiotherapy follow-up will be made to ensure you achieve the goals of surgery. You will see me in clinic for a review at six weeks.

How to get the best out of my knee replacement?

General measures such as keeping fit, keeping a healthy weight, controlling medical conditions such as diabetes and obesity will help in improving your outcomes after surgery.

Selecting  a good hospital for the procedure is important to minimise the risks of infection and having an expert team to smooth post-operative period. I operate in Highfield hospital where you will have exceptional quality care with individual rooms, facilities and caring nursing staff.

Last but not least is the selection of an expert surgeon. This can be difficult for a lay person. A good source of information is your own general practitioner. The National joint registry can give some idea of the experience and number of joint replacements done by your surgeon. Online resources may throw some light on an individual but needs to be critically appreciated. Sometimes the best feedback can be obtained from friends or relatives who may have undergone the surgery by me. Patient feedback on this website and Doctify may give you some assurance.