Nuffield Health Brentwood Hospital can perform the procedure which replaces damaged sections with artificial parts
Knees take a lot of pressure from walking, bending, standing and lifting and it is not uncommon for them to ache.
However, if you are struggling to do those tasks, or have arthritis that causes stiffness and pain, then knee replacement surgery may be required.
Total knee replacement (TKR) is a surgical procedure in which injured or damaged sections of the knee joint are replaced with artificial parts.
Initially, Arthritis may be treated with painkillers, anti-inflammatories, physiotherapy and, in the earlier stages, arthroscopy (keyhole surgery).
However, as the knee progressively wears, joint replacement surgery may be required to relieve the pain and improve mobility.
Nuffield Health Brentwood Hospital, part of the largest UK healthcare charity, offers Total Knee Replacement surgery.
Mr John Targett, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon with a specialist interest in knee surgery including cartilage injury, cruciate ligament injury and knee arthritis, tells us about the types of knee surgery.
The Knee Replacement Surgery Procedure
“The surgery involves an incision over the front of the knee and through the quadriceps tendon. The worn surface of the joint is removed including a small thickness of the damaged bone ends of the knee, usually about a centimetre of bone is removed during the operation.
“The metal of the knee replacement components fit over the cut ends of the bone, essentially resurfacing it. The metal implants are secured to the bone with special cement. “
“A plastic spacer then fits between the metal parts. The operation takes approximately an hour and a half or less.”
The Implants
The Total Knee Replacement comes in three parts. The femoral component is made of metal alloy and is highly polished. The tibial component is also metal, with a curved plastic insert attached to its upper surface. This forms the new joint with the metal femoral component.
The inner surface of the patella (kneecap) is covered with a plastic button, which sits in a shallow groove on the front of the metal femoral component.
After a total knee replacement
With the aid of a physiotherapist, you will get out of bed and begin to exercise your new knee replacement. Following an enhanced recovery program, this could be as early as the day of surgery, or the following day. With perseverance, you should be able to climb stairs by day three and usually go home between day three and five, depending on the speed of your recovery.
Post-operative physiotherapy, range of movement stretches, and functional exercises are all very important to gain full function and range of movement of your knee. Commitment to the post-operative program will really help to get the best result from your knee replacement. You will need to continue attending physiotherapy as an outpatient. This can be done closer to your home with one of our recommended group of physiotherapists, and at Nuffield Health, your post-operative physiotherapy is included as part of your package.
For most people, it will take around six weeks to be walking reasonably with only one stick and get back to driving a manual car, but three months to fully recover. It is important to remember that an artificial knee is not a normal knee. You should be able to carry out all normal activities of daily living.
Although it does not damage the knee replacement, kneeling can be uncomfortable post-operatively. The details of this will be discussed with you. You should be able to get back to golf, a gentle game of tennis, cycling, swimming and gardening.
The lifespan of the Total Knee Replacement
The majority of knees last 15 – 20 years with studies suggesting that a total knee replacement in a 70-year-old has around a 94 per cent probability of lasting for more than 10 years after surgery and 82 per cent last 25 years.
If, however, the patient is younger and more active the replacement may not have such a high survival rate, in which case your surgeon will discuss other options with you.
Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Mr John Targett’s profile can be found here. Mr John Targett, orthopaedic surgeon in Brentwood | Nuffield Health
At Nuffield Health Brentwood Hospital our expert Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeons specialise in knee replacement surgery and can provide you with a treatment plan which is individually personalised to you, and the severity of your knee condition.
For any enquiries, to book an initial consultation or to request more information, please contact our dedicated hospital enquiry team at Nuffield Health Brentwood Hospital on 01277 886 702. Website: Brentwood Hospital, Private Hospital in Essex | Nuffield Health