• Doctor PARVEEN KUMAR REG. PT.
  • Category Treatment
  • Location 462 Hazeldean Road, Unit 3, Kanata, Ontario K2L 1V3

Joint replacement is a procedure that involves replacing an injured or deteriorating knee with an artificial joint, or prosthesis which is made up of plastics, metal alloys and polymers. The prosthetic knee mimics the function of a knee. When selecting a prosthetic knee, your doctor will consider your:

  • age
  • weight
  • activity level
  • overall health

The procedure to remove your old joint and replace it with a prosthetic one usually takes less than two hours, but recovery and rehabilitation can last for months.

Purpose

Damage from arthritis is the most common reason for joint replacement. This includes both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis arthritis. Doctors usually only recommend knee replacement surgery after other, less aggressive treatments have failed. First-line treatment options include:

  • assistive devices, such as a cane or a knee brace
  • physical therapy
  • weight loss
  • medications

Treatment

Before surgery, your doctor will assess your overall health and anesthesia risks. This evaluation will include:

  • X-rays
  • Blood tests
  • Physical examination

Your doctor will ask you for your complete medical history, this includes prior surgeries and a complete list of medications that you are currently taking.

Also, make sure to tell your doctor if you’ve ever had an allergic reaction to anaesthesia. You may receive anaesthesia in your spine, which leaves you awake but pain-free from the waist down during surgery. You can expect to walk with the help of crutches or a walker for several weeks post surgery. Following your surgery, you’ll undergo a considerable amount of physical therapy. Your surgeon and physical therapy team will design a program that’s right for you.

Complications associated with Joint replacement surgery include:

  • Nerve damage in the knee
  • Stroke
  • Bleeding
  • Blood clots in the leg or lungs
  • Artificial knee wearing out over time
  • Breathing problems caused by the anaesthesia
  • Heart attack
  • Knee stiffness

Contact your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms:

  • Infections
  • a fever over 100°F (37.8°C)
  • drainage from your surgical scar
  • increasing pain, redness, swelling, and tenderness in the knee
  • chills

 

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