Posted by Dr Manu Bora

Arthroplasty is another word for knee replacement. Knee Replacement Surgery is done when damaged or worn-out parts of the knee joint need to be fixed. These broken parts should be resurfaced and given implants made by humans. Knee replacement surgery is the most frequent operation in the orthopedic field. Most knee replacements are done because of Osteoarthritis. Let's talk about Osteoarthritis, what causes it, and other things.

Statistics

Several international medical and surgical institutes have put together database reports showing how many people worldwide have total knee replacements. According to these reports, 40–50% of people over 50 get this procedure done yearly. Surprisingly, over the past 10 years, this number has gone up to between 55 and 60%. People all over the world have health problems because of this number. According to different medical groups, there are a few reasons why more and more people are having issues with their knees. Not many of them:

Arthritis

Arthritis, or Osteoarthritis, is the main reason people get a complete knee replacement. Osteoarthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes the cartilage and tissues that support the knee joint to wear down and break down. Your knees hurt, and you feel bad because of this. The pain can also become too much to bear. It makes it hard to move and hard to do everyday things. Most people with Osteoarthritis are between the ages of 50 and 70. When someone has Osteoarthritis, they have no choice but to get a complete knee replacement.

Obesity

We all know that the knees provide mechanical strength to hold the body weight. So, having solid knees is essential. But when we are overweight or obese, our knees lose power and can't support the extra weight of the upper body. Knees get weaker over time, and they usually need outside help. The number of obese people is rising quickly, which can cause many health problems, including knee damage. It is another reason why people replace their knees.

A sedentary way of life

As new technologies and online platforms emerge, people spend more time inside and less time going outside and doing physical activities. It means that the body moves less. If this goes on for a long time, there is a chance that your bones and joints, especially your knee joints, will become weak. Some reports say that 10-15% of people who need a complete knee replacement don't move around much, which causes these problems. As people get older, they have more problems than a healthy person who is also getting old. Keeping a healthy lifestyle is essential if you are young and want to avoid issues like these when you are older.

How Well Knee Replacements Work

One of the most common surgeries in medicine is knee replacement surgery. This method has been used in medical science for more than 50 years. So, surgical techniques and tools have changed and improved in many ways. With this, in less than 10 years, the success rate of a complete knee replacement has gone from 40–50% to 70–80%. This surgery is a massive success in the field of orthopedics. It has helped many people solve their problems and return to everyday life.

Outcomes

There are pros and cons to every action. Complete knee replacement has a very high success rate, but a few problems come with it.

Pros

• Pain and discomfort relief: People have knee replacement surgery to relieve the pain and discomfort they feel daily.
• Full knee replacement is suitable for people with an average income because it is affordable. The reason is that all health insurance plans cover this kind of surgery.
• Less risk because the knee joints aren't close to any vital body parts. It makes it easier to operate. So, it is a procedure with low risk.
• It's easy to get back to normal after a complete knee replacement surgery. Most people are told to stay in bed for about one to two months. Afterwards, you'll be free to resume your routine.

Cons

• There are limits:
Even though you can go on with your everyday life after having a hip or knee replaced, there are a few physical activities you can never do again.
• Side effects: Some people who had a complete knee replacement said the side effects were unbearable. Most of the time, this is because the body's immune system reacts to the surgery and doctors give anti-inflammatory drugs.
• Pain and discomfort come back:
After a few years, many people who have had knee replacement surgery say they feel pain and discomfort like before the surgery. It could be because the underlying causes of the knee damage aren't considered when the surgery is done.
• If a person has pain in their knee joint, they should go through Knee Replacement Surgery, which is safe. After knee replacement, patients can live pain-free lives unless they need care after surgery, medicine, physiotherapy, care for an infection, etc