Knee
Knee Treatments
Welcare Hospital is your trusted partner for comprehensive knee care. Our expert orthopedic team addresses knee-related concerns, from acute injuries to chronic conditions, utilizing advanced techniques to restore function, alleviate pain, and get you moving again.
Arthroscopic Surgery: This minimally invasive procedure involves inserting a small camera (arthroscope) and specialized surgical instruments through small incisions around the knee joint. Arthroscopic surgery can be used for various purposes, including:
- Meniscectomy: Removal of damaged portions of the meniscus (cartilage) in the knee.
- Meniscus Repair: Repairing torn meniscal tissue using sutures or anchors.
- Ligament Reconstruction: Repair or reconstruction of torn ligaments such as the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) or posterior cruciate ligament (PCL).
Knee Replacement Surgery (Arthroplasty): In cases of severe arthritis or joint damage, knee replacement surgery may be necessary. There are several types:
- Total Knee Replacement (TKR): The damaged surfaces of the knee joint are replaced with artificial components made of metal and plastic.
- Partial Knee Replacement: Only the damaged portion of the knee joint is replaced with an implant, preserving healthy bone and tissue.
- Revision Knee Replacement: In cases where a previous knee replacement has failed or requires correction, revision surgery may be performed to replace or repair components.
Osteotomy: This procedure involves reshaping or realigning the bones around the knee joint to relieve pressure on damaged or arthritic areas. It may be recommended for younger, active patients with early-stage arthritis or certain types of knee deformities.
Cartilage Restoration Procedures: For patients with focal areas of cartilage damage or defects, various techniques may be used to stimulate new cartilage growth or replace damaged tissue. These include:
- Microfracture: Creating tiny fractures in the bone to promote the growth of new cartilage.
- Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (ACI): Harvesting healthy cartilage cells from the patient, growing them in a lab, and then implanting them into the damaged area.
- Osteochondral Autograft or Allograft Transplantation: Transplanting healthy cartilage and bone tissue from another part of the patient’s own body (autograft) or from a donor (allograft) to repair the damaged area.
Welcare's In-House 3D Printing Lab
Benefits of Robotic Assisted Knee Replacement
- No extra bone loss only damaged part is replaced
- Small incision
- No soft tissue damage
- No ligament injury
- Practically life lasting implant
- Less blood loss
- Less pain
- Surgical time only 10 minutes more
- Same day walking and stair climbing
- Early discharge from hospital
- Very less chances of embolism or DVT
- Faster recovery
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it the right time to have a knee replacement?
There’s no precise formula for deciding when to have a knee replacement. The main reason to have it done is pain. If you’ve tried other options, including lifestyle strategies, anti-inflammatory medication, physical therapy, and injections, it may be time to think about surgery.
An orthopedic surgeon will perform a thorough examination and make a recommendation. You might also want to get a second opinion.
Can I avoid surgery?
Before you consider surgery, your doctor will usually encourage you to try various nonsurgical treatments, which may include:
- physical therapy
- weight loss (if appropriate)
- anti-inflammatory medication
- steroid injections
- hyaluronic (gel) injections
- alternative treatments such as acupuncture
In some cases, these solutions may helpTrusted Source manage knee problems. But if the symptoms worsen and start to affect your quality of life, surgery may be the best option. Delaying or avoiding surgery for a long time can make things worse.
Ask yourself questions such as:
- Have I tried everything?
- Is my knee preventing me from doing the things I enjoy?
- Will a knee replacement improve my quality of life?
What happens during surgery, and how long does it take?
The surgeon makes an incision over the front of your knee to expose the damaged area of your joint. They move your kneecap to the side and cut away the damaged cartilage and a small amount of bone.
Then, they replace the damaged tissue with new metal and plastic components. The components combine to form an artificial joint that is biologically compatible and mimics the movement of your natural knee.
Most knee replacement procedures take 1 to 2 hours to complete.
What is an artificial knee?
Artificial knee implants consist of metal and medical-grade plastic called polyethylene.
There are two ways of attaching the components to the bone. One is to use bone cement, which usually takes about 10 minutes to set. The other is a cement-free approach, which involves components that have a porous coating to allow the bone to grow onto them.
In some cases, a surgeon may use both techniques during the same operation.
Should I worry about anesthesia?
Any operation that involves anesthesia has risks, but severe complications are rare.
If you’re having a total knee replacement, your options are:
- general anesthesia
- spinal or epidural anesthesia
- a regional nerve block
An anesthesia team will decide on the most suitable options for you, but most knee replacement procedures involve a combination of the above methods.
What activities will I be able to do?
Most people need an assistive device (a walker, crutches, or a cane) for about 3 weeks after knee replacement surgery, although this varies significantly from person to person.
You’ll be able to do low impact exercise such as riding a stationary bike, walking, and swimming after 6–8 weeks. It’s important to make sure your incision has fully healed before swimming.
Your physical therapist can advise you on introducing new activities during this time. You should avoid running, jumping, and other high impact activities after surgery.
How long will my artificial knee last?
According to a 2019 research review, more than 82% Trusted Source of total knee replacements are still functioning 25 years later. But wear and tear can negatively affect the performance and life span of an artificial knee.
Younger people are more likely to need another knee surgery at some point in their lifetime, mainly as a result of having a more active lifestyle. You can consult a doctor about your specific situation.
What can I expect during recovery?
Most people are up and walking within 24 hours with the help of a walker or crutches.
After your operation, a physical therapist will help you bend and straighten your knee, get out of bed, and ultimately learn to walk with your new knee. This often happens on the same day as your operation.
Most people are discharged from the hospital the same day or the morning after surgery.
Once you return home, you’ll continue to have therapy regularly for several weeks. You’ll perform specific exercises that aim to improve the functionality of the knee.
If your condition requires it, or if you don’t have the support you need at home, your doctor might recommend that you spend time at a rehabilitation or nursing facility first.
Most people recover within 3 months, although it may take 6 months or longer for some people to recover fully.
