Knee Replacement

What is the cost of total Knee Replacement in India by best Knee Replacement Surgeon?

India starts from approximately US $ 4500 for a single knee. The cost of total knee replacement for both knees start from US $ 6500. The cost and outcome of surgery also depends on the experience, expertise and training of the knee replacement surgeon and his team & level of care of the Hospital.

What is the time taken for recovery in total knee replacement?

Average time taken by a patient for recovery after a total knee replacement of both the knee joints is approximately 6-8 weeks, after which patients are able to walk comfortably about his/her locality without any aid of a walker or a stick.

What to expect after total knee replacement?

When a patient undergoes total knee replacement, his/her recovery can be best understood in a timeline fashion.

Day 1 (day of surgery) – Most multi-specialty and super-specialty hospitals are equipped with dedicated joint replacement ward/suite with specially trained nurses to look after all the minor to major concerns of the patient. Patient is shifted to these wards after the surgery, where nursing staff takes over the charge of the patient, checks and monitors all the vital parameters of the patient and does the necessary blood tests and x-rays. Patient is usually let to rest on the 1 st day.

Day 2 – Physiotherapy of the patient is started by making the patient walk step by step in his/her room with the help of walker. Most of the patients with some encouragement easily takes the initial steps towards recovery. Physiotherapy is done twice daily.

Day 3 – The surgical wound is checked on 3 rd day by knee replacement surgeon and is cleaned and dressed by nursing staff with all the precautions. The dressing also becomes light and small.

Day 4 – By this time patient is shifted to oral medications and most of the injectable drugs are stopped.

Day 5 – The patient is now able to walk in his/her room and the corridors of the hospital freely using a walker and is usually discharged on this day.

Day 14 – Patient needs to visit the hospital for surgical wound inspection and stitch removal on 14 th day from the surgery. In the meantime, patient can stay at home and physiotherapy is done at his/her residence.

Patient is now fit to fly back to his home country where he/she will need to continue physiotherapy for another 2-3 weeks, by which time patient experience significant relief in pain, stiffness and increase in flexibility as compared to pre-surgery status. Recovery is nearly complete but some swelling may persist for up to six months.

What are the precautions to be taken after total knee replacement?

Advancement in medical science the implants used in the knee replacement is dynamically akin to the natural knee, but it is still not natural, hence patient needs to take certain precautions suggested by knee replacement surgeon after knee replacement. These also helps to increase the longevity of the implant to upto more than 20 years.

Avoid sitting on the ground in cross-legged fashion and squatting and low chairs and stools including deep sofas. Newer Hi-Flex implants allow for bending of the knee joint upto 120 o , it is advised not to bend the knee joint more than 100 o .
High demand activities, such as running and jumping should be avoided to decrease the chances dislocation, wear tear of implant and fractures.
Avoid lifting heavy object as this will directly overload the implants leading to avoidable and unnecessary wear and tear of the implant.

How to avoid knee replacement surgery?

Knee replacement is done in case of severe pain of the knee joint due to arthritis. Development of arthritis cannot be predicted for any individual. But it can be delayed with proper precautions such maintaining body weight in normal range, maintain a healthy lifestyle, exercising regularly to keep muscle strength.

How painful is total knee replacement?

With the modern-day technique and advancement in
patient care such as PCA (Patient Controlled Analgesia) and multi-modal pain management system,
patients rarely experience pain after knee replacement.

How long does it take to recover from a knee replacement?

Most patients usually take about 6 weeks for complete recovery under supervision of knee replacement surgeon.

What is the best age to have a knee replacement surgery?

There is no hard and fast rule about the age at which one should undergo knee replacement. A patient should consider knee replacement when he/she is constantly experiencing pain and needs oral or injectable analgesia round the clock or when the pain is hampering patient’s day to day activities or suggested by knee replacement surgeon in India. This is usually when the patient is in moderate stage of arthritis before the deformity in the knee joint develops.

Is knee replacement surgery a major operation and what is the role of knee replacement surgeon?

Yes, knee joint replacement surgery is a major surgery to the knee joint, and that is why total knee replacement in India should be done by a team of highly qualified, experienced and best knee replacement surgeon in India and in specialized hospitals in India which have special operation theaters.

What happens to ligaments of the joint in total knee replacement surgery?

Ligament of the knee joint in total knee replacement can be preserved when the arthritis of the knee joint is mild to moderate and ligaments are not damaged. Ligaments are removed when they are damaged as in case of severe knee joint arthritis. Implants used and the surgical technique in ligament sacrificing and ligament retaining surgeries are different and in many cases of arthritis decision about ligament is taken during the surgery after surgeon assessing the ligament.

Is the patella replaced in total knee replacement?

Patella is not replaced in all cases of arthritis. Patella replacement depends upon the arthritis of the cartilage of patella and just like the ligament decision to resurface it is taken during the surgery.

How can one prepare for knee joint replacement surgery?

Preparing well for knee replacement in India can make it really fast and easy for recovery.

Few things one can do before surgery are to plan well about when to get operated, where to get operated, how to fund the surgery, how much will surgery cost etc.

Learn about hospital, Knee replacement surgeon, type of anesthesia etc.

Try to get into the habit of exercising regularly and train the muscles and body for the upcoming event. If possible, shed some kilos.

Quit smoking and alcohol or any other addiction well in advance. It does wonder to quality and time taken for recovery.

Get your home ready with walker/crutches, toilet seat enhancer and safety rails in bathrooms.

What are the exercises one needs to do before undergoing total knee replacement surgery?

important to start exercising at least 15 days prior to surgery suggested by knee replacement surgeon which helps in significant improvement in recovery of the patient after a total knee replacement. Hiring a physiotherapist to explain, demonstrate and help one do the exercise is a good strategy. Patient should do thigh squeeze, leg- raising both straight and sideways while lying in bed, knee bending and standing on one leg.

What are the exercises one needs to after a knee replacement surgery?

Though it may be uncomfortable to exercise after total knee replacement surgery, but this will improve recovery, decrease pain and rehabilitation time. Patient will need to do ankle pumps, straight leg raising, quadriceps strengthening and supported knee bends.

What are the alternatives to total knee replacement?

High Tibial Osteotomy and Proximal Fibular Osteotomy are surgeries done to realign the knee joint to distribute the transmission of body weight in such a manner that the most commonly and most severely involved inner compartment of the knee joint is unloaded.

What is the procedure for knee replacement surgery by knee replacement surgeon?

In total knee replacement, the damaged surface of the joint is shaved off and covered by highly polished human bogy compatible implant.

What is partial knee joint replacement surgery?

Partial or Unicompartmental knee replacement surgery is offered to the patients who have early arthritis with severe pain. Here only the diseased inner half part of the knee joint is replaced, leaving the outer half untouched.

What are the complications of knee joint replacement surgery suggested by knee replacement surgeon?

Knee replacement surgery in India is one of the most advanced and successful procedures done under the supervision of best knee replacement surgeon in India. Its success rate is upwards of 98% when done by experienced and qualified knee replacement surgeon in specialized centers. Still there are some risks in total knee replacement and complications develop in about 1% of the patients, most of which are minor and can be managed easily. Bleeding, some residual pain, stiffness and swelling are few common complications. Major complications include infection and injury to blood vessels & nerves.

How long a knee replacement lasts done under the supervision of Knee Replacement Surgeon?

For majority of the patients a knee replacement surgery is experience of a lifetime as it lasts for about 20 years in most of the patients.