KNEE ARTHRITIS

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of knee arthritis. Also called wear-and-tear

arthritis or degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis is characterized by progressive

wearing away of the cartilage of the joint. As the protective cartilage is worn away by

knee arthritis, bare bone is exposed within the joint. Knee arthritis typically affects

patients over 50 years of age. It is more common in patients who are overweight, and

weight loss tends to reduce the symptoms associated with knee arthritis. There is also

a genetic predisposition to this condition, meaning knee arthritis tends to run in families.

Other factors that can contribute to developing knee arthritis include trauma to the knee,

meniscus tears or ligament damage, and fractures to the bone around the joint.

Assessing Symptoms

SYMPTOMS OF KNEE ARTHRITIS

Knee arthritis symptoms tend to progress as the condition worsens. What is interesting about knee arthritis is that symptoms do not always progress steadily with time. Often patients report good months and bad months, or symptoms that fluctuate with the weather. This is important to understand because comparing the symptoms of arthritis on one particular day may not accurately represent the overall progression of the condition.

The most common symptoms of knee arthritis are:

• Pain with activities

• Limited range of motion

• Stiffness of the knee

• Swelling of the joint

• Tenderness along the joint

• A feeling the joint may “give out”

• Deformity of the joint (knock-knees or bow-legs)

Evaluation of a patient with knee arthritis should begin with a physical examination and X-rays. These can serve as a baseline to evaluate later examinations

Need For Replacement Surgery

There are various types of conditions where a person may require to undergo a joint Replacement surgery to get relief from knee pains. The various conditions that require joint replacement are :
Cartilage Damage

Cartilage damage in the knee is most often caused by trauma. This can either be a single-impact injury or the microtrauma caused by repetitive motion over time.

Injury-Related Arthritis

Injuries to the knee or to the surrounding tissues and bones can cause pain, stiffness and swelling.

Knee Fracture

A fracture to the patella (kneecap) is just one type of injury that can be considered a knee fracture. A fracture to the two bones surrounding the knee (the femur and tibia) is also considered knee fractures.

Knee Necrosis

A disease caused by the loss of blood supply to the bones that eventually leads to the bone tissue collapsing. If the process occurs near a joint, it may result in the collapse of the joint surface. The most common type of avascular necrosis occurs in the knee joint.

Ligament Injury

Thanks to advances in medical science, today it is possible to return to athletic activities after multiple ligament injuries.

Meniscal Injury

A torn meniscus can prevent the knee from functioning normally. Consequently, doctors try to repair meniscus injuries whenever possible.

Osteoarthritis

When the smooth articular cartilage that surrounds and protects the knee joint‘s surface wears away, bone rubs against bone which may lead to painful inflammation.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

An autoimmune disease which attacks and destroys the protective cartilage and covers the surface of joints (such as the knee joint) eventually leads to inflammation of the surrounding tissues.

About Surgery (Knee Replacement Implants)

Knee replacement surgery resurfaces the damaged joint

lining and resurfaces the joint surfaces with a metal and

plastic implant that functions similar to a normal knee.

Knee replacement implants have been modified in order

to provide the best possible functioning with long-lasting

results. A total knee replacement is a procedure

where a diseased knee joint is resurfaced with an Implant.

The knee is a hinge joint which provides motion at the

point where the thigh meets the lower leg. The thigh bone

(or femur) abuts the large bone of the lower leg (tibia) at

the knee joint. During a total knee replacement, the end of

the femur bone is removed and replaced with a metal shell.

The end of the lower leg bone (tibia) is also removed and

replaced with a channelled plastic piece with a metal stem 

or a separate plastic and metal shell (depending upon type 

of implant used).

The posterior cruciate ligament is a tissue that normally

stabilizes each side of the knee joint so that the lower leg

cannot slide backward in relation to the thigh bone. In total

knee replacement surgery, this ligament is either retained,

sacrificed, or substituted by a polyethylene post. Each of

these various designs of total knee replacement has its

benefits and risks.

After the humeral component has been fitted, the surgeon puts together the pieces of the implant and checks to see if the hinge is working correctly. The implant is then removed, and the bone is prepared to cement it in place. The pieces are cemented in place and put together. After another check for proper fit and motion, the surgeon sews up the incision.