When and why is knee surgery required?
.The knees are a very important part of the human body as they allow you to stand, walk, run, jump, ride a cycle and do many other movements. Knee damage is quite common not just because of accidental falls but also due to medical conditions like osteoarthritis that result in bone decay and damage to the bone structure. When that happens, the affected person will not just have difficulty in walking and moving freely but may even become immobile.
Damaged meniscus – The knee joint is cushioned by a kind of cartilage called meniscus which provides stability to the knee. Depending on the kind of damage it suffers, the meniscus could be either removed or replaced.
Damaged ligament – When the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which is vital for stabilizing the knee joint, suffers any damage, it will need a surgical reconstruction.
Damaged synovial stratum – When a synovial tissue in the knee joint is inflamed, the doctor will do minor surgery to remove the inflamed tissue.
Damaged articular cartilage – This can result in tiny fragments of the articular cartilage breaking off and locking up the knee. These fragments are then removed through arthroscopic surgery.
Damaged articular cartilage – This can result in tiny fragments of the articular cartilage breaking off and locking up the knee. These fragments are then removed through arthroscopic surgery.
Septic in the knee joint – It is a serious condition that must be treated fast before it affects the entire knee. Treatment involves surgery to drain out the fluid and medication to heal the infection.
How is knee surgery performed on patients?
Depending on the seriousness of the patient’s knee condition, the surgery is performed using either general, regional or local anaesthesia. General anaesthesia is for serious cases needing the patient to remain unconscious for a longer duration. For less complicated cases, regional anaesthesia is administered to numb just the particular area where the surgery is to be performed. Local anaesthesia is administered for minor OPD cases wherein a small area around the point of surgery is numbed, often for arthroscopic surgery.
How do patients recover from a knee surgery?
Recovering from a major knee surgery like knee cap replacement may take around 6 to 8 weeks depending on the patient’s overall health condition. For less serious surgeries, the timeline for recovery is lesser especially for OPD cases requiring arthroscopic surgery. Patients must sincerely follow the doctor’s advice regarding movement, exercise, food and rest after returning home.