Knee Replacement Surgery in India

Knee replacement surgery also known as knee arthroplasty is procedure to replace the weight-bearing surfaces of the knee joint to relieve the pain and disability of osteoarthritis. It may be performed for other knee diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. The procedure has been proven to help individuals return back to moderately challenging activities such as golf, bicycling, and swimming. Total knees are not designed for jogging, or sports like tennis and skiing (although there certainly are people with total knee replacements that participate in such sports). Knee replacement is a routine surgery performed on over 600,000 people worldwide each year. Over 90% of people who have had Total Knee Replacement experience an improvement in knee pain and function.

Knee Replacement Surgery Candidates:
A person would be considered a candidate for knee replacement if there is:

• Daily pain
• The pain is severe enough to restrict work, recreation and ordinary activities of daily living
• Significant stiffness in the knee
• Significant instability (constant giving way) of the knee
• Significant deformity (knock-knees or bow-legs) that hinders normal function of the knee
• Damage from arthritic conditions, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or post-traumatic arthritis

Success Rate of Knee Replacement Surgery:
Knee replacement surgery is recognized as a miracle of modern surgery. Most orthopedic experts consider replacement to be the best method of handling arthritis in the knee. Knee replacements have literally put hundreds of thousands of Americans back on their feet and allowed them to enjoy their golden years.

Knee Replacement Surgery Preparations:

• If you smoke, cut down or quit. Smoking changes blood flow patterns, delays healing and slows recovery.
• If you drink, don't have any alcohol for at least 48 hours before surgery.
• Ask your doctor for pre-surgical exercises. If you are having hip or knee replacement surgery, doing exercises to strengthen your upper body will help you cope with crutches or a walker after surgery.
• Your primary care physician or an internist will conduct a general medical evaluation several weeks before surgery. This examination will assess your health and your risk for anesthesia. The results of this examination should be forwarded to your orthopedic surgeon, along with a surgical clearance.
• Shortly before your scheduled surgery, you will probably have an orthopedic examination to review the procedure and answer any last-minute questions.
• You may need to take several types of tests, including blood tests, a cardiogram, a urine sample and a chest X-ray.
• Advice your surgeon of any medical conditions you have and of all the medications you are taking. You may need to stop taking certain medications or your surgeon may recommend substitute medications until your surgery. Medications such as corticosteroids, insulin or anti-coagulants will need to be managed before and after surgery.

Knee Replacement Surgery Types:

• Total Knee Replacement:

Total knee replacement removes all weight-bearing, damaged knee cartilage and bone and replaces it with a man-made metal or plastic prosthetic joint that mechanically replicates the knee function. In total knee replacement, a highly polished strong metal alloy replaces the femur portion of the knee joint; a strong durable polymer tray replaces the tibia portion of the joint, and more plastic replaces the kneecap or patella. Surgery usually takes 1 1/2 to three hours.

• Partial Knee Replacement:

Partial knee replacement, or unicompartmental knee replacement, is the choice if only one part or compartment of your knee is severely damaged and requires replacement rather than the entire joint. An implant for either the femur portion, tibia portion or patella portion is surgically inserted through a smaller incision. If two or more compartments of the knee are damaged, the partial knee replacement may not be the best treatment choice. Hospital stays are generally shorter--perhaps even overnight.

• Minimally Invasive Knee Replacement:

Newer minimally invasive knee replacement, or MIS, uses specialized surgical techniques that allow a 3- to 5-inch incision rather than the standard 8- to 12-inch incision. The smaller incision provides for recovery with potentially less scar tissue formation, less pain, and a faster healing period. Hospital stays are from one to three days.

• Revision Knee Replacement:

Revision knee replacement is for removing and replacing a prosthetic knee joint that is worn out or that has failed. Revision knee replacement surgery can be repeated multiple times, but scar tissue formation from previous knee surgeries can make the procedure increasingly difficult with each replacement event.

• Computer Assisted Surgery:

Knee replacement using computer assisted surgery, or CAS, is a computer-driven technology that uses computer guided imagery during surgery. The computer aids the alignment of the knee components during the surgical procedure and renders the alignment more accurate. The high level of accuracy may increase the longevity of the total knee replacement.

• Bilateral Knee Replacement:

For those who have both knees equally affected by cartilage damage and decreased mobility, bilateral knee replacement is an option. Both knees undergo any of the above mentioned knee replacement type surgeries at the same time.


After Knee Replacement Surgery:

• Usually the first day after knee replacement surgery, you'll begin to work with a physical therapist who will teach you exercise to regain full leg and knee movement.
• During your hospital stay, you'll attend physical therapy one to two times a day. An occupational therapist and nurse discharge planner will help you prepare for your return home.
• Your doctor may recommend a continuous passive motion (CPM) machine that bends and straightens your knee.
• You may be given special elastic stockings to reduce swelling. An anticoagulant medication, such as lovenox, also may be administered to help circulation and prevent blood clots.

Recovery after Knee Replacement Surgery:

• Recovery varies with each person. You will use a walker for approximately 4 weeks after the operation. You can drive a car in 2-4 weeks.
• Most people gradually increase their activities and may play golf, doubles tennis, shuffleboard, or bowl in 12 weeks. More active sports, such as singles tennis and jogging are not recommended.
• After discharge, there is usually no need for a nursing home. Some patients who live alone may require a short stay at a rehab center for a few days after they leave the hospital. This will depend on how you progress in the hospital, and keep in mind that healing and recovery times vary with each person.

 
Knee Replacement Surgery Follow-up:  

Knee Replacement Longevity;

Following things affect the longevity and success of your knee replacement:

• Avoiding repetitive heavy lifting
• Avoiding excessive stair climbing
• Maintaining appropriate weight
• Staying healthy and active
• Avoiding "impact loading" sports such as jogging, downhill skiing and high impact aerobics
• Consulting your surgeon before beginning any new sport or activity
• Thinking before you move
• Avoiding any physical activities involving quick stop-start motion, twisting or impact stresses
• Avoiding excessive bending when weight bearing, like climbing steep stairs
• Not lifting or pushing heavy objects
• Not kneeling
• Avoiding low seating surfaces and chairs

Knee Replacement Surgery Benefits:

After knee replacement surgery patient is relieved of the pain he/she associated with the knee. Some of the benefits of Knee replacement surgery are:

• Pain Relief:

When arthritic joint surfaces are re-surfaced as in the case of a knee replacement; implants made of a combination of metal and high density polyethylene plastic are fixed onto the prepared surfaces. Since the original, arthritis-laden joint surfaces have been removed and replaced with metallic and plastic materials, the original joint pain, caused by the exposed bone, no longer exists. This gives the patient a considerable reduction or even elimination of pain.

• Improved Mobility:

When the joint anatomy is rough and irregular secondary to advanced arthritis, the ability of the joint to move smoothly is limited. Frequently, overall range of motion can be severely limited due to joint surface irregularity as well as the presence of excessive fluid production. Total knee replacement can largely restore range of motion.

• Improved Quality of Life:

• Infection
• Stiffness
• Loosening
• Osteolysis

• Specialized Braces
• Arthroscopy
• Cartilage Transplantation
• Osteotomy
• Uni-compartmental arthroplasty
• Arthrodesis or Knee Fusion

• Due to the high costs of knee replacement surgery in the United States, the waiting lists in the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada and the lack of high tech medical procedures in many third world countries, medical tourism is expected to blossom into a ten billion dollar business world-wide. Recognizing this trend Indian government, large corporations, hospitals, and doctors are flooding the Indian medical tourism market with choices, and prices are dropping.
• India boasts volumes of its excellently maintained healthcare providers by stringent government controls on the policies for control of promotion and advertisement, thus not visible much in news papers, magazines and electronic media. But certainly as good as other regional healthcare providers like Singapore and Thailand.
• India is as competitive as Singapore in the quality of healthcare, through it world class facilities of hospitals and clinics, latest machines in healthcare and more over world class renowned surgeons and doctors that it has more in number then any regional healthcare providers.
  
  

Knee replacement surgery in India is available in following cities:

Knee Replacement Surgery Costs in India:

• India is the most preferred medical tourism destination as it provides low cost Knee replacement surgery option for national and international medical tourists.
• The cost of knee replacement surgery in India is almost ¼ of the cost that in UK, US and other developed countries.
• The chart below shows the cost comparison knee replacement surgery in India and other countries-

Best Knee Surgeons in India;

• Knee surgeons working in India are not only highly qualified but also have huge experience of conducting thousands of successful knee surgeries. The operations and treatments that knee specialists offer include total and partial knee replacement, arthroscopic knee surgery, and knee ligament reconstruction (including anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction).
• Indian knee surgeons have created a reputation for providing superlative and groundbreaking Knee Surgery to their patients. Medical travelers from around the world visit India every year with their various knee problems.They provide a beforehand guide about the details and requirements of the procedure helping the patients to be ready for the surgery both mentally and physically.
• Indian knee surgeons are highly educated with huge work experience both in India and in abroad giving them that extra edge over other surgeons in the world. The required Qualifications for a Knee Surgeons in India are-
• MS in Orthopedics
• MCH in Joint replacement surgery
• DNB/FRCS/MRCS from International Colleges and Hospitals
• International Fellowship and Training Programs
• Publications and Paper Presentations in Reputed Scientific and Medical Journals
• Wide Clinical Experience
  
  

Top Knee Surgery Hospitals in India:

Plan your Knee Surgery in India with Tour2India4Health:

Knee Surgery and Medical Tourism in India: