What Is a Knee Replacement?

What Is a Knee Replacement? After the cartilage joint bones in the knees are deformed and unable to function due to various reasons, the cartilage joint bones in the knees are removed and replaced with knee prosthetics. The purpose of this surgery is to eliminate movement restriction and pain of the individual by simulating the current functioning with the implanted prosthetics. 

In Which Cases Is Knee Replacement Surgery Considered Necessary?

Knee replacement surgery is performed for individuals who have arthritis in the knee joints for a variety of reasons and experience pain and movement restrictions as a result. There are major reasons for deformation and calcification of the knee joints;

• Various inflammatory diseases
• Excess weight
• Fractures and cracks in joints
• Advanced rheumatism disorders
• Lesion formations
• Meniscus ruptures and injuries, etc.

The reasons mentioned above cause damage to the knee joints and the knee joints are largely unable to perform their functions. The pain that occurs as a result of these deformities can cause people to experience extreme pain even when they are stable at advanced levels of the disease. In cases of infection, if there is still infection in the region, a knee replacement surgery can not be performed unless the infection is completely healed.

Process After Knee Replacement Surgery

• The hospitalization process for patients after surgery is an average of one week.
• The patient may perform movements related to basic individual needs, such as walking, sitting and going to the toilet no later than 2 days after surgery.
• The exercises recommended by the doctor should be continued on a regular basis after the stitches have been removed at the end of the 15th day and after surgery.
• Depending on the operation, the formation of turgescency in the knee region continues for up to 5 months. However, normal mobility can generally be achieved at the end of 1-1, 5 months.

The life span of the prosthesis used in knee replacement surgery has increased to 20 years in parallel with today’s technologies. On the other hand, there are many different factors and reasons that affect the life span of knee prostheses; 

• First of all, the institution where the surgery is performed, the environment and the doctor who performs the surgery have a very large share of the life-span of the prosthesis.
• In addition to these, the patient has the largest share to determine the life-span of the prosthesis. The age , sex, weight and lifestyle of the patient are determining factors in this regard. After surgery , the patient should pay close attention to weight and exercise and avoid challenging movements that may lead to re-deformation of the knees.