A prosthetic knee is a device used to replace the person’s unusable or damaged one. Injury from accidents are the primary cause of this case. To alleviate the damage inflicted, some patients choose to have prostheses surgically placed on the joint. They undergo through several phases during the operation.
Man made devices called prostheses are instituted to individuals who have lost manipulation of their limbs. They are replacements to whatever parts they lost use of. For instance a person whose arm had been amputated can have a prosthetic engineered to imitate the appearance or use of an arm. Some patients who also need prostheses are those who have congenital or birth defects.
Patients who undergo prosthetic operation are first assessed if they are healthy enough for it. If so, they are then given antibiotics and blood-thinning drugs to facilitate complications. After cleaning and preparing their leg for the process, they are given general anaesthetic. This in turn makes them unconscious and thus unable to feel pain from the surgery.
The knee area is opened with an incision so that the damaged part can be accessed. The knee-cap, otherwise called patella, is moved along with muscles and soft tissues. After that, a bit of the thigh and shin bone are extracted to make sure that the prosthesis will fit. To make sure there is not too much blood clot, mechanical devices such as foot pumps and stockings are used.
On most cases a special type of cement or glue is used to secure the replacement joint. After this step, tissues, the patella and other ligaments are rearranged. Next, a tube is inserted into the operated area to drain fluids and unusable blood. Stitches on the incision is needed to close the wounded area.
Nurses will then dress the incision with bandages to prevent infection. They will also give medication such as antibiotics and pain relievers to help the patients recover. And then, they monitor patients’ health through checking vital signs.
It could take a week’s stay or more for patients to fully recover. This is because the doctors need to make sure no complications after the surgery occur. Also, they are given therapy and taught to exercise the newly installed joint. They are also encouraged to walk around while recuperating.
These are roughly the phases of a prosthetic knee replacement surgery. While it is able to provide mobility to most patients, there has never been an instance where an operation perfectly restored a person’s gait. With technological advancement, perhaps a fully functional joint will be invented.
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