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Orthopedic Knee-Replacement Surgery
Knee replacement surgery, also known as total knee arthroplasty, can relieve pain and improve mobility and quality of life in those with severely diseased or damaged knee joints. Knee replacement surgeries are the most common type of joint replacement surgery performed in the United States today, with about 200,000 such surgeries performed every year in this country.
Knee replacement surgery is most often performed due to severe and disabling knee pain caused by osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other degenerative conditions. If you have tried traditional therapies such as resting, weight loss, pain medication, and physical therapy without success, or your knee pain significantly impacts your daily life and activities, you may be a candidate for knee replacement surgery.
When considering whether or not to undergo the surgery, it is important to have realistic expectations. Although 90 percent of patients who undergo the procedure experience a dramatic reduction of knee pain and are better able to go about daily activities and performs mild or moderately strenuous physical activities such as golf or swimming, more strenuous activities, such as jogging, are not recommended. Most patients are able to walk with the aid of a cane, walker, or crutches on the same day as the surgery and can expect the recovery period post-surgery to last about six to twelve weeks.
Knee replacement surgery has a 90 to 95% success rate and is considered one of the safest surgeries of its kind. However, excessive activity can cause the knee replacement to wear down or loosen and require replacement. 90 to 95% of knee implants are still functioning well 10 to 15 years after surgery, and with mild to moderate activity levels, most knee implants can be expected to function well for 15 years or more, but more strenuous activity can require more frequent replacement.
 General Surgery & Health Care Treatments
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