Orthopedics & Traumatology Specialist Prof. Dr. Tolga Tüzüner | Hip and Knee Prosthesis, Sports Traumatology, Fracture & Dislocation, Osteoporosis, Arthroscopy
Knee replacement surgery is a surgical operation in which the joint in the knee is replaced with an artificial joint due to wear or damage due to autoimmune rheumatic diseases, traumas, childhood joint infections or metabolic diseases. Knee prosthesis surgery aims to increase the patient's mobility and get rid of pain.
Knee replacement surgery is not the best method for every patient. For this reason, the patient's history is listened to in detail when deciding on surgery. Generally, knee prosthesis surgery is not performed on patients who do heavy physical work. Filling of knee joints may be preferred instead of surgery. However, the patient's age, lifestyle and physical mobility also affect the decision for surgery. If non-surgical treatments or alternative methods can be applied in line with the patient's complaints, surgery is usually not the first choice. However, in cases where the patient cannot get rid of pain and movement limitation cannot be prevented with methods such as medication and physical therapy, the most effective method is knee replacement surgery.
Before knee replacement surgery is performed, the presence of infection in the patient's body is investigated. If the patient has an infection, treatment for the infection is first applied. After infection treatment, the patient is taken into surgery. If the patient is using blood thinners, the medications are stopped in a controlled manner before the surgery, and medication use is started in a controlled manner after the surgery. After the surgery, the patient is given painkillers to reduce his/her pain. Patients are usually discharged after 3-7 days, and patients must come for regular check-ups after discharge.
It is risky for patients to walk for 12 hours after knee replacement surgery. Therefore, patients can use a wheelchair for 12 hours after surgery. After a successful prosthesis surgery, patients stay in the hospital for an average of 3-7 days. During this period, patients are allowed to walk 2-3 hours a day. During walks under the supervision of a doctor, it is monitored whether patients experience pain or movement restrictions.
Knee replacement surgery usually takes 1-3 hours. Surgery time may vary depending on patient history, wear on the patient's knee joint, and the material used for knee prosthesis. Before knee replacement surgery, the patient is informed about how the surgery will be performed, how long it takes and the post-operative period.
After knee replacement surgery, there is a risk of complications, as in every surgical operation. There is a risk of infection and blockage of the leg vein after the surgery. However, this risk is quite low if the patient uses the medications prescribed by the doctor and pays attention to the warnings made after the surgery.
Another complication that may occur after surgery is premature loosening of the prosthesis. Making forced movements after the surgery may cause damage to the prosthesis. The average lifespan of a total knee prosthesis is 15-20 years. The lifespan of the prosthesis may vary depending on the patient's physical activities, bone quality and the patient's body mass index. If the medications prescribed by the doctor are used after the surgery and unsafe movements are avoided, the risk of complications related to the prosthesis and surgery is extremely low.
