Knee Replacement Surgery In Delhi
Also called knee arthroplasty, a knee replacement surgery is performed to relieve rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, bone deformity, traumatic knee injury, and other such conditions. This procedure is performed by an orthopaedic surgeon and involves replacing the injured or affected part of the knee with artificial implants. Dr. Vikram Mhaskar is the best knee replacement surgeon in Delhi and provides the highest quality arthroplasty services.
Dr. Mhaskar performs knee replacement surgery for both total and partial replacement procedures. The former method involves the replacement of the whole knee joint by taking out the affected cartilages and tissues around the joint and the cavity is filled either by cementing or press-fitting. Then, artificial leverage made of medical-grade plastic is positioned to support the joint and allow smooth and proper movement. This surgery could be unilateral (in one leg only) or bilateral (in both legs). The latter surgical procedure follows a similar pattern. Only, instead of the whole joint, only the affected compartment is replaced. It can also be unilateral (in one leg) or bilateral (in both legs).
What is Knee Replacement Surgery?
Also referred to as a knee arthroplasty or a total knee replacement., the damaged knee joint is replaced in knee arthroplasty. The kneecap functions as a cap for the ends of the bones that make up the knee joint in addition to having metal and plastic parts
Who Needs Knee Replacement Surgery
Those following conditions may require a knee replacement.
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Certain knee deformities, such as knock knees or bowed legs
- Avascular necrosis
Benefits Of Knee Replacement Surgery
Although a major procedure, knee replacement surgery has numerous advantages. Some of them include:
- Knee replacement surgery helps in relieving pain due to arthritis, injury, or another condition.
- It helps in restoring normal movement of the knee joints.
- It is highly effective in relieving inflammation and swelling when medications and other treatments don't work.
- It is a long-term cure for knee-related problems.
- The success rate of this surgery in India is almost 100%.
Types Of Knee Replacement Surgery In Delhi
Orthopedic surgeons advise the following knee replacement procedures, depending on the patient's age, health, and level of activity:
- Total knee replacement (TKR)
- Partial knee replacement
- Revision knee replacement
Total knee replacement (TKR)
TKR is a conventional surgical procedure in which a surgeon inserts metallic artificial implants to replace the joint surfaces like a normal human knee
Partial knee replacement
When arthritis only affects one side of the knee, partial knee replacement surgery is an alternative to total knee replacement surgery, and the surgeons employ minimally invasive or reduced invasive techniques and make smaller incisions.
Revision knee replacement
You might require revision surgery if you've had a second or third joint replacement in the same knee, have severe arthritis, or had a failed knee replacement operation in the past. The metallic implants used in this procedure have longer stems, which aid in securing the metallic components firmly into the bones.
What is osteoarthritis?
The knee is a joint that consists of three bones. The thigh bone (Femur), the leg bone(tibia) and the knee cap (patella). The joint means a confluence (meeting point) of two bone. The thigh and leg bone glide over each other facilitating bending and straightening of the knee. The knee cap glides over the thigh bone and has the all important muscles attached to it , acting as a lever to facilitate movement of the joint.
The bone surfaces are covered by a polish (much like the paint on your walls) that facilitate smooth movement between the two surface with least friction. As we get older or due to certain injuries to the cartilage, they get worn out. When this happens two rough surfaces rub against each other during knee movement and little particles are released. These irritate the covering of the knee that has little structures (cells) whose job is to secrete 1-2 ml of a lubricant and end up secreting much more due to the irritation. This is much like a dust particle getting into your eye and tears coming out.
Why does it happen?
This occurs primarily due to aging. It has a genetic association (if any parent first degree relative has it, you can get it), due to a mild alignment issue in the legs since childhood, the weight of the body may pass more through the inside/outside of the joint making it prone to wear and tear. It can also occur due to some pre-existing injury to the joint, cartilage or infection in the knee that causes it to loose its smoothness and eventually arthritis.
Can it be treated with medicines?
Unfortunately there are no medications that are proven to treat osteoarthritis.
What about injections?
Injections can provide a temporary relief in some cases where the fluid in the knee is excess by removing the fluid and injecting the medicine to decrease fluid production temporarily. This is much like tear drops in an irritated eye.
What is partial knee replacement?
When the osteoarthritis mainly affects one compartment of the knee, a cap is put only on that compartment that is damaged. This is called unicondylar knee arthroplasty.
Read more about Partial Knee Replacement Surgery in detail.
What is total knee replacement?
When the osteoarthritis involves more than one compartment a cap is put on all three compartments of the knee. This is called total knee replacement. The aim is to resurface the bone with a metallic cap and align the knee straight so that the body weight goes through the centre of the knee.
Read more about Total Knee Replacement Surgery in detail.
Do you replace the knee completely?
Replacement is a misnomer. The knee is not replaced but re-surfaced only. i.e an approximately 1cm cap made of metal is put around the knee to compensate for the worn out cartilage.
How can I avoid surgery?
Knee arthroplasty surgery is not a life saving but a life changing operation. It is done only when the quality of life is compromised by pain. To avoid rapid progression of arthritis it is important to keep ones weight under control and exercise the thigh muscles (quadriceps) regularly.
Is the surgery painful?
We use the latest technology in pain management by instilling ample local anesthesia at the operative site as well as give epidural anesthesia that blocks the pain nerves post surgery keeping the patient pain free.
How do we do it differently?
The aim in knee arthroplasty is to resurface the joint and make the lower limb neutrally aligned (i.e straight) so that equal weight passes through both compartments. Dr. Mhaskar is a strong proponent of computer assisted knee surgery. Computer assisted surgery eliminates the minor errors associated with human judgement to achieve perfect alignment. It is used as a adjunct to the surgery.
Can both knees be done together?
More often than not arthritis is a bilateral disease affecting both knees. We are strong proponents of operating on both knees together as it is much more convenient for a patient and with excellent medical back up is the dictim in most of our cases.
What is the post op rehabilitation?
The patient stays in the hospital for 4 days after a single knee and 5-7 days after a bilateral knee surgery. The patient is made to stand up the same day or the next day after a single sided surgery and on the second day after a bilateral surgery. Before the patient is discharged, they can ambulate on their own using a walker. Stair climbing commences after 3 weeks. Physiotherapy is largely done by the patient with the physiotherapist just guiding him. At the end of 3 weeks supports are weaned off and the patient walks independently.
How successful is the surgery?
The success rate of this surgery is excellent as it is done by a highly trained specialist who understand the nuances of knee surgery. Our previous patients are testimony to this with all having only good things to say about us and the operation.
What if I have a failed knee replacement done elsewhere can you set it right?
This being a specialised knee practise we have a vast experience in treating failed knee replacements also known as revision knee replacements. In these surgeries we use implants that confer further stability to the new joint.
Things to Consider Before Knee Replacement Surgery In Delhi
It can be difficult to decide whether to have knee surgery. The decision may be easier if you know the appropriate questions to ask your doctor.
1. Which knee surgery is best for you?
Your age, the degree of arthritic damage to your knee, your general physical condition, the surgeon's experience, and other factors will all play a role in the type of surgery your doctor recommends.
2. What can I expect following the surgery?
It's crucial that you have realistic expectations for what knee surgery can achieve. It is probable that your pain will alleviate, and functional regain can be expected.
3. Can I do anything to increase the likelihood that my surgery will be successful?
You might be able to take steps to increase the likelihood of a successful outcome before surgery. A surgeon may advise you to exercise to strengthen the muscles that surround and support your knee, lose weight, or quit smoking, for example.
4. How uncomfortable will the healing process be? What can be done to make it easier?
Knowing how much discomfort to expect can help you feel less anxious during the first few days after surgery when pain is most likely to be severe. Your surgical team will advise you on the medications to take to manage pain and swelling.
5. How long will the recovery process take?
When learning about your recovery, enquire about timelines, whether you'll need a walker or crutches after surgery, and how long you'll need them.
6. How long will physical therapy be after surgery?
Find out how long it will take you to complete the physical therapy exercises, both in the physical therapist's office and on your own at home.
Why Choose Dr. Vikram Mhaskar for knee replacement surgery?
- The decision to get a knee replacement is a major one that can be life-changing.
- Dr. Vikram Mhaskar has ranked on top of the knee replacement surgeons in India and is the best knee replacement surgeon in Delhi.
- He is an expert in knee replacement surgeries that are minimally invasive and have a faster recovery time.
- Dr. Vikram Mhaskar has been a pioneer in bringing the newest techniques in knee replacement to India and providing the best outcomes for his patients.
- You can be sure of being in good hands with Dr. Vikram Mhaskar, who will provide the best results.
- His area of expertise is in knee and shoulder surgery. He uses the most advanced techniques making him the best knee replacement surgeon in Delhi.
- Dr. Vikram Mhaskar is an ardent sportsman who completely understands the physicality and challenges of active sportspersons and employs the best practices.
- He is well versed in robotic-assisted knee replacement procedures with the utmost precision.
- He is an academic expert and stays on top of the latest trends, having co-authored Maheshwari & Mhaskar Essential Orthopedics - a standard textbook for students of Orthopedics and textbook chapters on knee replacement surgery.
- A recipient of many awards, including the ‘David Rowley Award’ by the University Of Dundee, ‘Fr Percival Fernandez Award’ for ‘Best outgoing post graduate’ at his institution and was also awarded especially by India Book Of Records for doing India”s first-day care knee replacement surgery