What is Knee Replacement? - Dr. Sachin Karkamkar

What is Knee Replacement?
Arthritic Knee and Replaced Knee
A knee replacement (also called knee arthroplasty) might be more accurately termed a knee "resurfacing" because only the surface of the bones are actually replaced.

(Left) Severe osteoarthritis. (Right) The arthritic cartilage and underlying bone has been removed and resurfaced with metal implants on the femur and tibia. A plastic spacer has been placed in between the implants. The patellar component is not shown for clarity.

• More than 90% of people who have total knee replacement surgery experience a dramatic

• Most surgeons advise against high-impact activities such as running, jogging, jumping, or other high-impact sports for the rest of your life after surgery

• Minimally invasive
• Robotic
• Surgery You will most likely be admitted to the hospital on the day of your surgery.
•  Anesthesia: After admission, you will be evaluated by a member of the anesthesia team. The most common are spinal, epidural, or regional nerve block anesthesia (you are awake but your body is numb from the waist down). The anesthesia team, with your input, will determine which type of anesthesia will be best for you
• Procedure: The procedure itself takes approximately 1 to 2 hours. Your orthopedic surgeon will remove the damaged cartilage and bone, and then position the new metal and plastic implants to restore the alignment and function of your knee.

• Different types of knee implants are used to meet each patient's individual needs.

(Left) An x-ray of a severely arthritic knee. (Right) The x-ray appearance of a total knee replacement. Note that the plastic spacer between the bones does not show up in an x-ray.After surgery, you will be moved to the recovery room, where you will remain for several hours while your recovery from anesthesia is monitored. After you wake up, you will be taken to your hospital room.

Robotic Knee Replacement [rTKR]: The term “robotic surgery” refers to the use of programmable devices to perform a wide variety of surgical tasks. Dr Sachin Karkamkar can provide you with detailed guidance. These are not intended to replace the surgeon but rather to provide assistance. 

• Robotic knee replacement reduces the duration of hospital stay
• It lowers complication rates
• It improves perioperative outcomes
• The disadvantage over conventional or manual knee replacement is slightly higher total healthcare costs.