Total Knee Replacement Treatment Cost in India

Reasons for a knee replacement surgery can be due to the joints getting stiff with age. Some of the other causes are:

• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Gout
• Haemophilia
• Bone dysplasias (unusual growth of bone)
• A knee injury or deformity
• Avascular necrosis ( trouble in blood supply in the knee) along with the death of bone

Some of the common symptoms are:

• Difficulty in climbing stairs
• Pain in flexing knee and pain persists or keep coming back over the time
• Severe aches during and after workouts in the knee
• Long hours of sitting makes your knee very stiff
• During rainy weather, the pain in the knee worsens
• Painkillers and cane for support does not relieve the problem
• The knee is so painful that patients are unable to sleep at night.
• Slight swelling in the knee visible
• Morning stiffness is experienced by the patient that lasts as long as 30 to 45 minutes
• Experience of the injured anterior cruciate ligament of the knee.

If knee replacement surgery is planned for you, then doing the following few things may help you thank yourself later:

• Prepare your environment accordingly so that it is conducive for your recovery since your movement will be restricted for a few weeks.
• Discuss your anesthesia option beforehand with your doctor. Ask relevant questions like whether it can be done on an outpatient basis or not. Whether access to a blood bank will be required or not.
• Before surgery try to lose some weight and grow more fit as that will accelerate the recovery post-operation.
• Cutting down on tobacco and smoking can enhance recovery.
• Try and learn the physical therapy workouts which will be later recommended so that you are better prepared.
• Tell your doctor about your medical condition and discuss in detail all the medications that you are presently prescribed to. This will help doctors decide the mode of treatment better.

Total knee replacement surgeries are dependent on the needs of patients and methods used by surgeons largely.  General steps are outlined below:

1. Before the doctor proceeds for surgery, parameters like heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature of the patient is checked and thereafter a mark is made on the part of the knee that will undergo surgery.
2. Options of anesthesia can be chosen; general anesthesia can be implemented or local one may be administered where sensation below the waist region of the body is blocked. This decision is usually taken much ahead of time.
3. The doctor makes an incision down the center of the knee which will be 8 to 10 inches in length, and further cuts down to deeper tissues. To meet the thigh bone femur and the tibia bone it is important to enter the quadriceps tendon and the flips over the kneecap. There are doctors who use a much narrower incision to conduct the entire operation, using a minimally invasive method.
4. The knee is then bent to an angle of 90 degrees. This brings about ease of the surgeon to access the joint.
5. At the bottom of the femur and top regions of the tibia, the arthritically damaged areas are removed by the surgeon using a bone saw. Thereafter to fit the new prosthesis each bone must be reshaped.  To line up the cuts computer-aided assistance is chosen, or a metal jig can be used ensuring the cuts are neat and precise.
6. The back of the kneecap or patella can be resurfaced by the surgeon to attach the implant. To aid the smooth gliding of the patella against the new joint a polyethylene component can be attached. Not much of a difference has been noted in the outcomes of patients who did and those who did not receive the patella resurfacing.
7. If applicable, then components are made to attach the femur and tibia or patella. Depending on the component that is employed the attaching mechanism is guided. The cemented components that are affixed with bone cement are mainly employed in knee replacement surgeries. There are different advantages to cemented and uncemented components.
8. On the top of the new tibia surfaces, a flexible cushion that is made of polyethylene is attached. Between the two prosthetic surfaces, the spacer acts as a shock absorber.
9. To check the new knee’s range of movements the leg is extended and flexed properly.
10. The components, bone, and cement are made to bond together as the surgeon straightens the knee. In just about 10 minutes the bone cement starts acting to show results.
11. Before stitching the skin at the incision, the surgeon will check damage to deep tissue during the cut and repair it.

Depending on the patients’ underlying medical condition or the kind of knee surgery undergone the recovery phase will be governed.  Some patients can go immediately home while for others the stay may get extended. Normally a patient is expected to stay for 3 to 5 days after their surgery in the hospital. During this stay or even after departing from the hospital the patient will be advised to concentrate on increasing mobility and knee strength slowly.  At least 12 to 14 weeks are involved for a patient to resume a normal lifestyle but knee tissues can take even longer to heal in the meanwhile. The following to be kept in mind by the patient once home

•         Reduce the use of walking aids gradually
•         Medication and therapy should be continued as advised by a physician
•         Exercise must be continued but extra stress to knee must be avoided
•         Fr 6 weeks do not sit with legs crossed
•         Never place a pillow under the knee while sleeping
•        Twisting motion of the knee to be strictly avoided
•         Shoes should be comfortable and supportive during the recovery period
•         Till full recovery avoid bending too much or kneel on the operated knee

Apart from total knee replacement, there are other alternative treatments available, but the results may not last too long. some of the below alternatives can be considered by the physician

• Osteotomy: The shin bone of the patient is cut open by the surgeon and realigned to divert the pressure from the damaged tissues of the knees.
• Arthroscopic washout and debridement: a tiny telescope-like device or the arthroscope is inserted inside the knee. With the help of this device, saline water is made to pass for clearing damaged bits of tissues, bones, and cartilages from the knee.
• Mosaicplasty: A keyhole operation is conducted that aims to transfer hard cartilage plugs along with some underlying bone from some other part of the knee which is healthy to repair the damaged surface of the knee.
  

Single knee replacement surgery cost in India is between $3600 to $5500 which is less than even half the cost that may be incurred in the USA with similar amenities and quality of treatment.