Knee replacement surgery, also known as knee replacement, is a procedure that aims to reduce pain and correct knee deformities by placing an artificial part capable of replacing the joint, being recommended primarily for arthritis and osteoarthritis.
This procedure is usually indicated when there is a serious joint injury or when improvements cannot be achieved with the use of medications and physiotherapy sessions.
- The price of the knee prosthesis varies depending on the type to use.
- For example.
- For a prosthesis with cemented fixation and no kneecap replacement.
- The value can reach R $ 20.
- 000.
- Including hospitalization.
- Equipment and medication.
- With the average value of the prosthesis R $ 10.
- 000.
Knee prosthetic surgery is performed by replacing worn cartilage with metal, ceramic or plastic devices, returning the patient to an aligned, painless and functional joint. This replacement can be partial, when only certain components of the seal are removed, or total, when the original seal is removed and replaced with a metal device.
Surgery to place a knee prosthesis usually takes about 2 hours and is performed under spinal anesthesia, after surgery it is recommended not to get out of bed for 12 hours, so that the doctor can place a bladder tube to keep the bladder empty, so the person does not have to get up to go to the bathroom.This tube usually withdraws the next day.
The hospital stay is 3 to 4 days and physical therapy can be started the day after surgery.The doctor generally recommends taking pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medications during the first few days, and the patient may need to return to the hospital.to remove stitches 12 to 14 days after surgery.
Because this is an expensive procedure and involves joint replacement, knee replacement is not recommended for people who only experience knee pain or discomfort. Surgery is only indicated when pain does not improve with medication or physical therapy and limits the performance of daily activities, when there is stiffness in the joint, when the pain is constant, and when the knee is deformed.
Recovery after knee replacement can vary from 3 to 6 weeks. Depending on the case, the patient begins to move the knee within 2 or 3 days of surgery and begins to walk as soon as he regains muscle control, usually guided by a physical therapist and with the help of a walker in the first few days.
Gradually it is possible to resume most daily activities, it is only recommended to avoid certain positions such as bending or over-lifting your knees, in addition to avoiding exercises that have a high impact or strength in knee flexion.
Learn more about recovering from a knee replacement
Knee physiotherapy should be initiated before surgery and resumed on the first day of the postoperative period.Goals include relieving pain and swelling, improving knee movements and strengthening muscles.The program should be guided by a physical therapist and should include exercises to:
After hospital discharge, the patient should periodically consult the orthopedic surgeon for follow-up and an X-ray to check that everything is ok, precautions should also be taken to avoid falls, perform light walks and perform regular physical exercises to maintain the knee strength and mobility, at the physiotherapy clinic or in the gym under the guidance of the physical educator.
Watch the video below for some tips for relieving knee pain: