Knee Replacement Surgery

• Knee Replacement Surgery cost in India ranges betweenUSD 4000 to USD 6000 for Single Kneeand betweenUSD 8400 to USD 12000 for both knees.
• This knee replacement cost includesUS FDA approved implants. However, with an Indian implant, the cost is lowered by 30%.
• Thecost of revision knee replacement is 30-40% higheras it includes an additional procedure of removing and dressing the previous implant.
• Knee replacement surgery requires a hospital stayfor approximately5 days and around 15 days outside the hospital. The knee replacement surgery has close to a 100% success rate.
• The medical tests which are required for determining Knee Replacement procedure are X-Ray and MRI.

Treatment Cost

More About Treatment

Symptoms for Detecting Knee Replacement

Age and Gender are not criteria kept into consideration if someone is going for a knee replacement. Generally the only reason for surgical replacement depends on the degree of severity and disability. It is mostly recommended for older people, but teenagers or adults may undergo knee replacement if there is excess wear tear of the knee joint.

Helpful:What is a knee replacement surgery?
Read:Knee Implants Pricesup to69% less as government caps prices

This surgery is mostly when indicated in:

• Severe knee pain and stiffness
• Continuous Pain
• Chronic knee inflammation and swelling
• Chronic Knee deformity
• Failure of Medical treatments
• Depression

Before the procedure, a complete physical examination, as well as several diagnostic tests including blood tests, will be done.

• Medical history (such as hemophilia, blood pressure, diabetes, and pregnancy), any medications (aspirin) and drug allergy if any should be informed to the doctor prior to the surgery.

• The patient is advised to stop smoking for as long as possible prior to the surgical procedure.

The key indication for knee arthroplasty is to provide relief from pain caused by severe arthritis. Two types of knee replacement surgery are performed:

• Total Knee Replacement

• Partial Knee Replacement

There are various kinds of knee joint replacement surgeries including bilateral knee replacement surgeries, total knee replacement, single knee replacement, unicompartmental knee replacement, kneecap replacement, and complex or revision knee replacement.

Knee replacement surgery will last up to 2-3 hours.

• An intravenous (IV) line may be started in your arm or hand & a urinary catheter is inserted.
• The skin over the surgical site will be cleansed with an antiseptic solution.
• An incision is made in the knee area.
• The surgeon will then remove the damaged surfaces of the knee joint and resurface the knee joint with the prosthesis.
• The knee prosthesis is made up of metal and plastic. The most common type of artificial knee prosthesis is a cemented prosthesis. A cemented prosthesis attaches to the bone with surgical cement.
• The prosthesis is mostly comprised of3 components: the tibial component (to resurface the top of the tibia or shin bone), the femoral [thigh bone] component (to resurface the end of the thighbone and the patellar component (to resurface the bottom of the kneecap that rubs against the thighbone).
• Incision will be closed with stitches or surgical staples & a drain may be placed in the incision site to remove the fluid.
• A sterile bandage or dressing will be applied.

After the surgery, patient is kept in the recovery room for few hours. Patient will be hospitalised for 4-6 days. Mostly people recover within 12 months after the surgery, but the recovery time will differ depending on the age and overall health. Once the surgical part is done, your knee joint replacement surgeon may use continuous passive motion (CPM) machine to improve the early motion. It is used during the hospital stay and may go up to for 3 weeks following surgery.

Readhow the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority helps in reducing the cost of knee implants up to 69% saving Rs. 1,500 crore per annum to consumers.

Following are the factors which affect knee replacement surgery cost in India:

• The hospital patient is opting for.

• Room –Standard single room, deluxe room, super deluxe room for the number of nights specified (including nursing fee, meals, room rate, and room service).

• Operating room, ICU

• Fee for the team of doctors (Surgeons, Anesthetist, Physiotherapists, Dieticians). There are several Medical Colleges & Hospitals in Chennai, Delhi & Kolkataoffering medical services in different departments such as bone marrow transplant, aortic valve replacement for deep vein thrombosis, carpal tunnel release to treat carpal tunnel syndrome, etc.

• Medicines

• Physiotherapy session

• Standard test and diagnostic procedures

• Depend on the treatment options :

  • Surgery

  • Single knee/both knee

  • Implant being used

FAQs

• What are the results of total knee replacement?

• Knee-replacement surgery has a high rate of success in eliminating pain and restoring the normal day to day activity.

• When should a person undergo knee replacement surgery?

• Doctor will be able to decide if you are a candidate for the surgery or not. The decision will be based on the patient’s history, examination, X-rays and response to conservative treatment.

Recommened for you:The Right Time for a Knee Replacement

• How long & where will the scar be present?

• The scar will be approximate 6-8 inches long & it will be present on the centre of the knee.

• What are the six weeks blues?

• Approximately 5-6 weeks after the surgery most of the patients begin to feel both depressed and frustrated. It is normal to be in such an emotional state during the period. During the first 6 weeks the patient may get great strides in the reduction of pain and with the range of motion. After 6 weeks, the patient starts feeling completely normal. This 6 week phase is known as “Six weeks blues”.

• For how long a patient will require the bandage after the knee replacement surgery?

• Patients need to wear the bandage for approximately 1 week or until the wound is completely dry. This bandage should be changed daily to a new dry, sterile gauze.

• Will a patient require blood transfusion?

• A patient may require blood transfusion.

• What are the good positions for knee & what positions should be avoided?

• Patient is advised to do straightening of the knee (extension) as well as bending the knee (flexion) on daily basis. A good way to work on :

  • Extension: is to place a towel roll underneath the ankle while lying down.
  • Flexion: is to sit on a chair or stationary bicycle and bend your knee.

• For how long a patient will a patient be on a blood thinner?

• Generally a patient will be kept on a blood thinner for up to 1 month. Approximate duration will be determined by the doctor.

• What activities should be avoided after knee replacement?

• All impact activities, such as running and downhill skiing, and vigorous racquet sports, such as singles tennis or squash should be avoided.

• Should a patient wear compression stockings after the surgery?

• Compression stockings are not required after the surgery.

• Can a patient use stairs after the surgery?

• Yes. Initially the patient with start with the non-operated leg when going up stairs and lead with the operated leg when going down the stairs. Once the leg gets stronger (after about 1 month), the patient can use the stairs in a more regular pattern.

• How long will the knee replacement last?

• This will vary from patient to patient. It has been seen that over 90% of knee replacements functions well at 10 to 15 years post-op.

Clickhereto know everything about knee replacement.

• Why do knee replacements fail?

• Common reasons for failure is loosening of the artificial surface from the bone. Wearing of the plastic spacer may also result in the need for a new spacer.