A Total Knee Replacement (TKR) or Total Knee Arthroplasty

A Total Knee Replacement (TKR) or Total Knee Arthroplasty is a surgery that replaces an arthritic knee joint with artificial metal or plastic replacement parts called the ‘prostheses'.

The procedure is usually recommended for older patients who suffer from pain and loss of function from arthritis and have failed results from other conservative methods of therapy.

The typical knee replacement replaces the ends of the femur (thigh bone) and tibia (shin bone) with plastic inserted between them and usually the patella (knee cap).

Causes or Reasons for a Total Knee Replacement

  • Trauma (fracture)

  • Increased stress e.g., overuse, overweight, etc.

  • Infection

  • Connective tissue disorders

  • Inactive lifestyle e.g., Obesity, as additional weight puts extra force through your joints which can lead to arthritis over a period of time.

  • Inflammation e.g., Rheumatoid arthritis

Benefits of Total Knee Replacement

The decision to proceed with TKR surgery is a cooperative one between you, your surgeon, family and your local doctor.

The benefits following surgery are relief of symptoms of arthritis. These include:

  • Severe pain that limits your everyday activities including walking, shopping, visiting friends, getting in and out of chair, gardening, etc.

  • Pain waking you at night.

  • Deformity- either bowleg or knock knees.

  • Stiffness

Surgical Procedure

Each knee is individual and knee replacements take this into account by having different sizes for your knee. If there is more than the usual amount of bone loss, sometimes extra pieces of metal or bone are added.

Surgery is performed under sterile conditions in the operating room under spinal or general anesthesia. You will be on your back and a tourniquet applied to your upper thigh to reduce blood loss. Surgery takes approximately 1 hour.

The surgeon cuts down to the bone to expose the bones of the knee joint.

The damaged portions of the femur and tibia are then cut at the appropriate angles using specialized jigs. Trial components are then inserted to check the accuracy of these cuts and determine the thickness of plastic required to place in between these two components. The patella (knee cap) may be replaced depending on a number of factors and depending on the surgeon's choice.

The real components are then inserted with or without cement and the knee is again checked to make sure things are working properly. The knee is then carefully closed , and the knee dressed and bandaged.

surgerySamantha Pennknee