Myths and Facts on Total Knee Replacement (TKR)
Any invasive procedure to any part of the body is a concern to every patient. Everybody has apprehensions about many things about any kind of surgery even if it is a very minor surgery. People would rather take medicines than go for surgery. But some conditions can only be rectified by surgery. As far the knee goes, it goes through a lot of wear and tear and is prone to a lot of injuries both due to age-related issues like in elderly people and excessive use issues like with a sportsperson. These injuries, whatever the reason, may need surgery and some may heal on their own with rest and medication.
Most of the time the patient hesitates to go for surgery due to some hearsay myths about the surgery. Let us debunk some myths about Total Knee Replacement Surgery.
Myth 1. Bending the knee correctly would be a problem after surgery.
Fact: the surgery is aimed at giving you discomfort-free knee movement. You will surely be able to move your knee correctly after the proper and complete rehabilitation process is done.
Myth 2. Knee replacement surgery is for elderly people only.
Fact: Knee replacement surgery does not have age limits. Whenever you have a knee problem that has to be rectified by Knee replacement it is better to get it done. The sooner the better as delay in surgery may cause further complications.
Myth 3. Foreign metal or prosthetics means side effects.Fact: The most compatible metals and prosthetics are being used to replace the worn out, torn or damaged parts of the knee. Knee surgery has a gone a long way in improving the standards of its implants and nowadays they offer no adverse or side effects at all.
Myth 4. recovery would be slow and would need regular physiotherapy.
Fact: Very few people require physiotherapy after the surgery. The surgeon or the doctor himself trains the patient how to walk and what precautions to be taken and exercises to be done. Most of the patients start walking normally from the 5th week.
Myth 5. High risk of failure
The only risk with this surgery and that too it has only been seen in less than 2% of patients getting Total Knee Replacement surgery. Moreover, it is just a matter of proper care of the wound till it heals. This risk is there in almost all invasive surgeries.
Myth 6. Cannot drive after knee replacement surgery.
Facts: Driving is the next thing you are eligible to do after you start walking after a knee replacement surgery. Driving does not exert much pressure on your knees so it is a very comfortable experience after knee replacement surgery.
Myth 7. Diabetes and blood pressure patients cannot undergo a knee replacement surgeon.
Fact: it is a thing of the past, now surgeons give you pre-operative medications and stabilize you before do the knee replacement surgery.
Myth 8. Total knee replacement cannot be done twice.
Fact: It can be done twice mostly it is called a revision joint replacement surgery.
Myth 9. lasts for only 10 years
Fact: The modern computer-assisted knee surgeries and highly compatible implants and advancement in the field of knee surgery have given it a longer life span. Most of the surgeries have been studied to last more than 20 years and in some cases even up to 25 years.
Comments
Post a Comment