Should You Get a Knee Replacement Surgery?

Knee Replacement Surgery has always been associated with skepticism around the potential risk benefit ratio. This surgery has its own share of associated risks and entails a recovery and rehabilitation process. The final take on whether or not to undergo total knee replacement is both a practical and personal decision. While there may be not set criterion to evaluate when a knee replacement surgery becomes compulsory, an experienced orthopedic surgeon would usually follow a methodical procedure to evaluate the benefits of the surgery vis-a-vis the risks. The prime consideration for surgery happens when other alternatives options no longer help in addressing the physical challenges. Even then there might be few patients who cannot undergo surgery because of their age, weight, medical conditions, even though a surgery would have been beneficial for them. Few generalized conditions, where surgery is necessary are:

1. A persistent pain in the knee joint that has worsened over time.
2. Pain that prevents you from sleeping.
3. Your ability to exercise has worsened over time and leads to knee aches.
4. Your mobility has decreased over time with difficulty in walking and climbing stairs.
5. Medications like NSAIDS aren't offering enough relief.
6. Your basic life activities have become painful.
7. You feel pain in rainy weather.
8. The pain prevents you from sleeping.
9. You have restricted knee motion and degree to which you can bend your knee has decreased.
10. Your knees swell in the morning lasting for about 30 minutes.
11. Your joints make a grating sound.
12. Any previous knee injury.

According a Dr. Prakash Kotwal, an ex-AIIMS orthopedic surgeon currently practicing at PSRI Hospital

You must not delay or decline a knee replacement surgery after your physician has recommended it. Delaying might eventually lead to difficulty to perform routine activities due to persistent pain, loss of functionality, extension of deformities beyond the knee joint and overall reduction in quality of life.

To summarize, when all preventive and supportive measures like lifestyle changes, use of medication and injections, strengthening exercises, alternative treatment methods including acupuncture, as well as surgical procedures, like arthroscopy, fail, knee replacement surgery is advised. List of trusted Orthopedic Doctors in India from Top Hospitals Delhi | Gurgaon | Kolkata | Mumbai | Hyderabad | Bangalore | Chennai

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