When the knee is so damaged and all other treatments have failed, the replacement of the knee joint with a prosthesis can be performed.
There is a wide variety of options that allow the surgeon to customize the knee prosthesis depending on the damage, the age and the level of physical activity of the patient.
Treatment with stem cells in osteoarthritis and cartilage injuries is an option that is still in the study phase but offers very good results in terms of pain improvement and increased knee function, being able to delay or avoid the need of intervention or placement of prostheses in cases of osteoarthritis “.
When deterioration of the knee and pain prevent walking, replacement of the joint surfaces by a prosthesis is indicated. They are reproductions of the bones that make up the knee, made of various metals and plastic materials that favor the flexion and extension of the knee.
The surgical intervention lasts one hour and may require blood transfusion. The surgical intervention is performed under general or epidural anesthesia. It is necessary to make an incision to partially cut and extract the part of the bones-tibial, tibia and fibula-located in the area near the knee, to replace the joint with the prosthesis.
The type of implant that is used depends on the patient, their age and the state in which the bones are found.
After the intervention, a drainage tube can be kept in place to eliminate the accumulated blood remnants on the surfaces of the severed bones, drainage that should be monitored to control the degree of hemorrhage.
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