Knee Surgery Information

Women have a more difficult time recovering from knee surgery in the short term than men, according to a new study.

Researchers reporting at the annual meeting of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, this weekend also noted that people with osteoarthritis have a tougher time recovering from knee surgery during the first year after the procedure.

These factors are different from those that affect long-term recovery, such as tear size, amount of tissue removed, advanced patient age and obesity.

In the study, Yale University medical student Peter Fabricant and colleagues studied 126 patients who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery.

“We couldn’t find anything in the literature to predict recovery during the first year,” said Fabricant in a prepared statement. “Physicians need to be able to discuss with patients how long it might be before they can return to optimal function levels in work and activities of daily living.”

The researchers noted that osteoarthritis may be a marker for worse overall knee function and suggested that patients with severe osteoarthritis should not have knee surgery because of the cartilage and soft tissue they have already lost.

The investigators could not explain how gender complicates recovery, except to note that gender might affect the way in which the original injury occurred. Women in the study reported more knee pain and decreased function prior to the surgery than men.

Knee Surgery

Knee Surgery News

The knee is a joint, and when a person has a “knee replacement,” it’s actually the knee joint that is replaced. Surgeons are also able to replace shoulder joints, finger joints, hip joints and ankle joints. The real question may be: “Are you a candidate for a knee joint replacement?”
Knee replacement is considered for patients who have knee joints that have been damaged or destroyed by trauma or a disease such as arthritis. Osteoarthritis, which is arthritis caused by wear on a joint, is the most common reason for knee joint replacement. The pain and loss of function that results from osteoarthritis leads many patients to consider knee replacement. The degenerative joint disease you mentioned is just another name for osteoarthritis.

Joint replacement is major surgery, but in most cases it is an entirely elective procedure. That means the surgery is scheduled in advance – as opposed to an emergency surgery, like an appendectomy.

Due to this elective nature, you have time to carefully weigh the risks and the benefits before proceeding with the surgery. One of the things your doctor needs to consider – and this is true of any surgical procedure – is the ability of your system to withstand the rigors of anesthesia. While anesthesia is generally safe, people with weak hearts and poor lungs need to be carefully evaluated before undergoing surgery. Other risks of surgery are infection, bleeding, blood clots and nerve damage, to name a few.

Also, keep in mind that if both knees have severe damage, fixing only one will not give you much benefit. That’s why some people have double knee replacement operations or schedule a second one as soon as they are fully recovered from the first.

Another consideration is patient size. A person over 200 pounds may not get full benefit from the knee surgery. Some surgeons will not perform knee replacement surgery until the patient has reached an agreed upon weight. Also people who are very energetic may have trouble with the limited activity required during the prolonged rehabilitation period after the surgery.

Fortunately, the vast majority of those who have total knee replacement surgery have the expected outcome. They have improved mobility and much less pain after the post-surgical recovery and rehab periods. This benefit typically lasts for 10 years or more. At that point the surgery may need to be repeated.

You will notice that when I mentioned possible factors that would weigh against this surgery, I did not mention your age. Many healthy, active people in their 80s have joint replacement surgery. It can help to keep them active and enjoying life for many years to come.

Knee Surgery

Knee Surgery News