About Knee Replacement Surgery

Knee replacement surgery can relieve pain caused by osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, and restore function to diseased joints. During the procedure, an orthopedic surgeon cuts away the damaged bone and cartilage and replaces it with an artificial joint made of metal alloys or plastic. Knee replacement surgery has helped many improve mobility and a better quality of life.

Good Candidates

• People with disabling pain and have difficulty walking, climbing stairs and getting in and out of spaces


• People with knee deformities


• Those for whom other treatments, including weight loss, physical therapy, walking aids and medication have not helped to ease the pain


• Anyone 55 and older


• People with good general health and do not have conditions which complicate surgery

Risks

• Serious complications are typically rare with knee replacement surgery. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons reports that serious complications occur in fewer than two percent of patients.


• Possible risks include infection, knee stiffness, heart attack, stroke, blood clots and nerve damage.


• Infection can occur years after the first surgery. In the event of infection, a surgeon removes the artificial knee and uses antibiotics to kill bacteria.


• With daily stress, an artificial knee can wear out. Those at greater risk for worn-out artificial knees include young people and obese men.

What to Expect

• Knee replacement surgery takes about two hours.


• Hospital stay after surgery may be two days, and nerve blocks and medications are prescribed for pain.


• The day after surgery, the patient could start working with a physical therapist to exercise the new knee. Physical activity includes a graduated walking program and strengthening exercises.


• A patient is able to resume normal daily activities about three to six weeks after surgery. 


• The patient should talk to their doctor about limitations regarding activities after recovery. They may be approved for low-impact activities, such as walking, swimming and golf. However, high-impact activities, such as running, skiing and tennis may cause the artificial joint to wear out prematurely.