You should expect a significant reduction in pain and an improvement in functionality for daily living activities. Everyone’s situation is unique and therefore results very. The knee replacement is made of artificial parts and cannot be expected to function and feel like the normal knee you had when you were 16!
Depending on your Body Mass Index (BMI), you may be told that you need to reduce your weight prior to surgery. People with a BMI score of over 35 can have a much more difficult time healing and have an increased risk of complications.
Here are some of the specific complications associated with obesity after joint replacement surgery:
CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT WHAT YOUR BMI SCORE IS AND MORE INFORMATION ON THE SUBJECT.
Potential risks of knee replacement surgery include but are not limited to: Blood Clots, Blood Loss, Infection of the Joint Replacement, Leg Length Difference, Knee Implant Loosening, Fracture of the patient bone, Numbness around the incision site, nerve disfunction resulting in numbness and loss of control of the foot and/or ankle, Wound healing delay and/or wound separation.
Your surgeon and the entire surgical team have worked diligently to put together a program that significantly reduces the risk of complications. Over the last few years the complication rates have definitely been reduced but the potential for complications still exist and have not been completely eliminated.
Typically, patients who undergo Total Knee Arthroplasty may require a 1-2 night hospital stay but some patients can go home the same day as their surgery. Each patient recovers differently but all must reach the following goals before being discharged home:
Knee replacements do wear and can eventually wear out. Unfortunately, an artificial knee is not as durable as your own natural knee. Because the knee replacement implants are made of metal and plastic, these materials do wear over time, similar to the treads on your car tires.
Studies show that knee replacements can last more than 20 years. This is dependent on many factors. The activity level, weight and age of the patient can effect the longevity of the joint. One very large study found that 80% of knee replacements were functioning well after 15 years in the younger (less than 65) patients, and 94% of the older (over 65) patients.
Total knee replacement implants normally make a slight snap or popping sound with certain activities or maneuvers. Typically this is painless and does not present any problem.
You may have relatively mild to moderate pain following the procedure, or you may have a more difficult time than others. Everyone is unique and handles and perceives pain differently. Keep in mind that while pain management has greatly improved, a pain-free surgery is unlikely. You will want to take your pain medicines as directed by your surgeon. The instructions on the pill bottle describe the maximum dose and frequency of the prescribed pain medicine. It is preferable to reduce the amount of narcotic pills as much as possible and minimize the amount of narcotic/opioids taken.
Typically, the incision will be about 6 to 8 inches long but depending on the surgical needs – it is what is done underneath the skin that counts not the length of the incision! Your surgeon will make the incision as large as it needs to be in order to perform an excellent surgery.
Bowed leg and knocked knee deformity are common in severe arthritis of the knee. Correcting the deformity at the time of surgery is typical and a routine part of knee replacement surgery. Severe angular deformities can make the surgical procedure more complex. Occasionally the routine physical therapy protocol is modified as a result of the more complex procedure. Additionally once the angular deformity is corrected the patient may perceive the corrected knee has produced a longer leg. This perceived leg length inequality typically improves over time or in certain situations is corrected once the opposite knee is corrected.
Typically, regaining the ability to kneel can be expected following knee replacement surgery. Nevertheless, this is dependent upon the patient’s ability to kneel prior to surgery and the level of obesity, strength and general well-being. Specifically once completely healed the replaced knee is capable of being kneeled upon.
