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Knee Replacement Surgery
The most common cause of knee damage requiring knee replacement surgery is osteoarthritis, which is a degenerative disease of the bones of the knee. This disease causes the surfaces of the knee joint to become irregular and rough, preventing smooth painless motion of the knee joint.
Knee replacement surgery may be recommended for:
· knee osteoarthritis or arthritis, which causes knee pain that has failed to respond to conservative therapy (NSAID medication for 6 months or more)
· decreased knee function caused by arthritis
· inability to work because of knee pain
· inability to sleep through the night because of knee pain
· inability to walk more than 3 blocks because of knee pain
· loose knee prosthesis
· some knee fractures
Knee replacement surgery is performed under general anesthesia. The orthopedic surgeon makes an incision over the affected knee. The patella (knee cap) is removed, and the heads of the femur and tibia are shaved to eliminate any rough parts and to permit a better adhesion of the prosthesis. The two parts of the prosthesis are implanted into the thighbone and the tibia bone using a special bone cement.
Learn more about knee replacement surgery and additional General Surgery procedures at the Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.
One of the nation's preeminent academic medical centers, WFUBMC is an integrated health care system that operates 1,291 acute care, rehabilitation and long-term care beds, outpatient services, and community health and information centers. The Medical Center's component institutions carry out a joint mission of patient care, education, research and community service. The partnership includes three major members: Wake Forest University Health Sciences, North Carolina Baptist Hospital, and Wake Forest University
Knee Replacement Surgery
Copyright: Wake Forest University School of Medicine
and North Carolina Baptist Hospital. All rights reserved.
Medical Center Boulevard
Winston-Salem, NC 27157
(336) 716-2011 |
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