Artificial knee replacement surgery - the second life of the knee joint

Author: Qu Tiebing, Chief Physician, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University

Reviewer: Ren Dajiang, Chief Physician of the Seventh Medical Center of the General Hospital of the Chinese People's Liberation Army

With the aging of the population, the incidence of joint diseases has increased year by year, especially knee joint diseases, which seriously affects the quality of life of patients. Traditional treatment methods are often difficult to fundamentally solve the problem, while artificial knee replacement, as a terminal treatment, has won praise from many patients with joint diseases for its significant therapeutic effect.

Artificial knee replacement, as the name implies, is a surgery to partially or completely remove the patient's diseased knee joint and replace it with an artificial joint to restore the normal function of the joint. This technology originated in the last century and has become very mature after decades of development. It should be noted that artificial knee replacement is not a total joint replacement, but a surface replacement, that is, the patient's own joint structure is retained, and only the damaged joint surface is repaired and replaced. This surgical method is not only less traumatic, but also has a fast recovery after surgery, which can significantly improve the patient's quality of life.

Figure 1 Original copyright image, no permission to reprint

This surgery is mainly suitable for patients with end-stage joint diseases, including senile osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and traumatic arthritis, etc. These diseases often lead to severe damage to the joints, or even the inability to preserve them. At this time, artificial knee replacement is the best treatment option.

Figure 2 Original copyright image, no permission to reprint

Patients and their families are often most concerned about the success rate of surgery. In fact, with the continuous advancement of medical technology and the accumulation of doctors' experience, the success rate of artificial knee replacement has been very high. Although any surgery has certain risks, the risk of artificial knee replacement is relatively low, and through scientific preoperative preparation, meticulous surgical operation and strict postoperative management, the occurrence of complications can be minimized.

When talking about the success rate of surgery, we cannot ignore the individual differences of patients and the importance of postoperative rehabilitation. If patients can actively cooperate with the doctor's treatment and rehabilitation plan, and perform functional exercises and follow-up examinations on time, the success rate of surgery and the quality of life after surgery will be greatly improved.

In terms of postoperative care, although artificial knee replacement has the advantages of less trauma and faster recovery, patients still need to pay great attention to it. After surgery, patients need to keep the wound clean and dry to avoid infection; at the same time, they need to perform appropriate functional exercises under the guidance of a doctor to promote the recovery of joint function. In addition, patients also need to pay attention to adjusting their eating habits and lifestyle, maintaining a good attitude and getting enough rest.

In terms of complication prevention and treatment, thrombosis and infection are the most common complications after total knee replacement. The formation of thrombosis is related to slow blood flow and hypercoagulable state after lower limb surgery. Although the risk of thrombosis is as high as 70%, this risk can be significantly reduced through active preventive measures such as the use of anticoagulants and wearing elastic stockings. Infection is one of the most serious complications of all surgical operations. Once it occurs, it will seriously affect the surgical effect and the patient's quality of life. Therefore, it is necessary to pay close attention to the patient's body temperature, wound condition, etc. after surgery, and take treatment measures immediately if signs of infection are found.

Different methods can be used to treat postoperative infection depending on the severity of the infection and the specific situation. Mild infections can be controlled through conservative treatment, while severe infections may require the removal of the artificial joint for revision surgery. Although revision surgery is complex and risky, its success rate is increasing with the continuous advancement of medical technology and the accumulation of doctor experience.