The following may help: |
(a) Use of a good quality knee support
or a brace
(b) Use of a stick while walking
(c) Apply heat on your knee, ice in
acute stage
(d) Use pain-relieving oil/cream
(e) Do proper knee exercises, learn
from a physiotherapist
(f) Follow joint-protection advise
such as avoiding squatting, stairs,
etc.
(g) Have an injection in the knee,
if your doctor so advises.
|
All these measures can give variable
relief for some time. In some cases
the relief may last for years while
in others it can be, at most, as time-buying
measure. If one does not get relief
in 6 months, surgery may be the only
option. Most patients in this stage
fear surgery and continue to suffer
hoping for magic relief, which does
not happen. Do not fall prey to false
claims, if there was any truth in
those claims, our prime minister will
not have accepted surgery as an option.
|
Warning: Do not let your
knee get so much damaged that even
surgery will not help! It is well
known that the results of knee replacement
deteriorate if the knee is damaged
beyond a limit.
|
When one has tries all non-operative
methods, surgery is the only options.
Operations are of two types - joint
saving operations and joint replacement
operation. Joint-saving operations
such as arthroscopy surgery (operating
on joints without cutting them open,
by endoscopic techniques) and an alignment
correction operation works in selected
cases. Joint replacement operation
may be a partial on total joint replacement.
We shall discuss these later.
Wherever required, knee replacement
operation is a wonderful opportunity
for a person to markedly improve
his quality of life - i.e. to continue
to enjoy life till the very end
of life. It is one of the most predictable
and successful operations. In U.S.A.
alone, over 300,000 knees are replaced
every year. Today, even a heart
operation has become predictable
and successful, and so has a knee
replacement operation.
This brochure is aimed at educating
you regarding issues connected with
knee replacement operation. The
following are some of the questions
frequently asked by the patient.
|
| (a) Do I
need a knee replacement? |
| (b) What
is actually done in a knee replacement
operation? |
| (c) What
if I continue to live with a
damaged knee? |
| (d) Will
I be able to tolerate this operation
at my age? |
| (e) Is undergoing
the operation going to be painful
experience? |
| (f) How long
will I be hospitalized? |
| (g) How long
does it take to recover? |
| (h) How much
will it cost? |
| (i) Is it
possible that I may become worse
than what I am today? |
| (j) What
are the possible complications? |
| (k) Should
both knees be replaced together? |
|
| |
Ques
1. Most patients want to
avoid surgery, and are not sure whether
their knee is bad enough to be replaced.
So the first question is Do I need
a knee replacement?
Ans.. Click
here... |
Ques 2.
Some patients continue to manage reasonably
well even with damaged knee with non-operative
treatment methods. Others develop
deformities, get intolerable pain,
and lose control over the knee and
tend to fall. Even if they have been
told about surgery as the only option,
patients are looking for ways and
means of postponing their operation,
which often leads them to more complications.
Hence the other question is how long
can I postpone the operation?
Ans.. Click
here... |
Ques 3.
Most patients are horrified by the
name ‘knee replacement’
and say, “I don’t want a
knee replacement”. This is mostly
because they have no idea what knee
replacement is all about. So, let
us know what actually is knee replacement?
Ans..
Click
here... |
|
Ques 4. A lot of patients
have apprehension whether knee replacement
will work for them. Let us understand
how does knee replacement operation
benefits?
Ans..
Click
here...
|
|
Ques 5. Patients also
think that they may not be able
to tolerate the operation due to
old age, and ask will I be able
to tolerate the operation at this
age?
Ans..
Click
here...
|
|
Ques 6.One worry every
patient has is can I become worse
than what I am?
Ans..
Click
here...
|
Although all
efforts are made to keep these rather
serious complications under control,
but these are risks even in the best
of hands. In most circumstances, the
complication can be salvaged by timely
care, which may mean a subsequent
operation.
|
Patients are apprehensive about pain
they might feel during surgery, hence
the question, is the operation going
to be painful?
Well, every operation is associated
with some degree of pain & discomfort.
Modern pain management techniques
have made this operation practically
pain free. Some of these techniques
used are the same as used for ‘pain-less
labour’. One can imagine, if
the worst pain, that of labour can
be controlled with these techniques,
knee replacement pain is nothing.
|
There are some other questions, which
you may also have in mind. These are
as follows:
|
Ques 7. How long will I
be hospitalized?
Ans..
Click
here... |
Ques 8.
How long will it take to recover?
Ans.. Click
here... |
Ques 9. What is the post-
operative requirement?
Ans.. Click
here... |
Ques 10.
How much does this operation cost?
Ans.. Click
here... |
Once you have
understood these issues, you should
take time to mentally prepare yourself
for the operation. This involves the
following:
| 1. Think
positive: You and your family,
all must adopt a positive attitude
to the success of the operation.
It helps to meet people who
have undergone the operation,
and are feeling better. It makes
a difference! |
| 2. Lose
weight: Get into the right
eating habbit to check your
weight, in preparation for walking
slim and trim. |
| 3. Start
knee exercises: Get going
right away. It helps in post-operative
recovery. |
| 4.
Get a medical check up to make
sure that you are not suffering
from any other disease. Control
of medical illnesses is required. |
| 5. Stop smoking |
| 6. Stop pain-killer
drugs 1 week before surgery |
| 7.
Organise your home to receive
you after surgery: This involves
having a western commode or
a chair, using a high chair
for sitting, using a bed with.height. |
|
Ques 11. What to expect
during hospitalization?
Ans..
Click
here... |
