Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Replacement Surgery For Arthritis

By Amy Clark

Arthritis is a disease that manifests with an abnormal inflammation in the body's articulations or joints. The fingers, hips, elbows and knees are the common targets of this condition.

Kinds of Arthritis

Arthritis has varied forms. Osteoarthritis, the most widespread variety of arthritis, is set off predominantly by old age, but may also appear in response to a variety of infections, malformations, or lesions, of your knee. The other less common but just as devastating types of arthritis are: rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and gouty arthritis.

Treatment Options for Arthritis

Various types of treatment are available for arthritis symptom management. These can range from physical therapy, medications, to surgical procedures.

The latter, known collectively as arthritis knee surgery, has a range of more specialized forms - for instance, knee replacement surgery, arthroscopy, and knee osteotomy. The exact type of surgery depends on several factors, like the severity and degree of the pain.

What is Knee Arthritis Surgery?

Based on the state of the arthritis pain, the most recommended option for treatment is frequently arthritis knee surgery.

This disease often progresses in parts, slowly damaging the cartilage tissues in the joints. In the early part of the disease, anti-inflammation therapies and physical exercise programs are the main treatment modes. However, as the disease deteriorates, the surgical route turns into a pressing and vital need.

Arthroscopy: A Less Invasive Option

Arthroscopy is considered as a less invasive surgical option in treating arthritis. The procedure involves the repair of ligaments and cartilage tissue damage in the knee as well as the other joints. In the surgery, a tiny apparatus akin to an endoscope will be inserted in the affected region through a tiny incision.

Despite the fact that the effectiveness of this type of procedure remains a point of contention, a good number of supporters confirm the benefits efficiency of the procedure when done in suitable scenarios.

Signs that an arthritis suffer needs an arthroscopy procedure are: painful knee pops, instability of the knee joint or knee wobbling, a prickling feeling when moving the knee joint, and inflammation or swelling of the affected areas.

Better Option for Younger Patients: Knee Osteotomy

In the case of younger individuals, these arthritis sufferers only commonly experience degradation of just one area of the knee joint. For this reason, they are not encouraged to undergo complete knee replacement surgery.

In some cases, arthritis also manifests as knock-legged or bow-legged cases, which are characterized by a joint reorientation, such that the weight center is transferred from its damaged region to its healthy region. In such instances, osteotomy is usually the best option.

What is Partial Knee Replacement Surgery

Called a "hybrid" of both osteotomy and complete knee replacement surgery, the procedure known as partial knee replacement surgery is to a large extent less invasive than complete knee replacement surgery. The surgery is executed through replacing the degraded area of the afflicted articulation with prosthetics, as the healthy areas are left alone to allow for healing. This procedure is advised for severe cases of arthritis confined to specific portions of articulation. Compared to complete knee replacement, this surgical procedure requires smaller cuts and calls for faster period of recovery.

What is Complete Knee Replacement Surgery

For most arthritis sufferers, the best choice is complete knee replacement surgery. This surgery includes the complete removal and replacement of the degraded tissue with metal or plastic prosthetic implants.

Arthritis Knee Surgery and Associated Risks

Similar to a good number pf major surgeries, patients who have undergone arthritis knee surgery are vulnerable to thrombosis, nerve damage, infections and some anesthesia risks.

Additionally, this procedure includes certain post-surgery risks, such as instability of the affected joint, kneecap dislocation/fracture, and even decreased mobility or reduced range of motion.

The Pros and Cons of Arthritis Knee Surgery

Regardless of the potential risks associated to the surgery, arthritis knee surgery offers a lot of pros that may benefit arthritis sufferers. The primary advantages are, to name a few, significant pain relief, increased mobility, plus a significant betterment of the patient's overall wellbeing. Additionally, in a period of six months after the surgery, the formerly affected joint can most likely recover fully.

On the other hand, this type of surgical procedure also provides a few perceptible cons. For example, patients may possibly experience soreness and discomfort in the period of time after the surgical procedure. Moreover, using a prosthetic joint may be noisy and may draw some attention. In some cases, movement difficulties may potentially arise. Similarly, depending on the prosthetic type used, the fake knee may have limited usability, such as only 10 to 15 years before a new replacement knee is needed.

That being said, however, if we weigh the discomfort manifested in a few cases against the huge potential for successful post-surgery results, it is fairly easy to conclude that the pros of this type of surgery certainly exceed its cons. - 16650

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