Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Replacement Surgery For Arthritis

By Amy Clark

Arthritis is an affliction characterized by irregular inflammations affecting the human body's joints or articulations. The hips, elbows, fingers and knees are the main targets of this condition.

Types of Arthritis

Arthritis comes in different forms. Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common kind of arthritis, is set off primarily by the aging process, but can also appear due to specific infections, malformations, or lesions, of the knee. The other less common but similarly devastating forms of arthritis are as follows: psoriatic arthritis, gouty arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Arthritis Treatment

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

The latter, more commonly known collectively as arthritis knee surgery, has a range of more specialized forms - for example, knee osteotomy, arthroscopy, and knee replacement surgery. The particular form of surgery will depend on many factors, such as the degree and severity of the pain.

Knee Arthritis Surgery

Based on the extent of arthritis, the most recommended option for therapy is commonly arthritis knee surgery.

Arthritis usually forms in parts, gradually damaging the cartilaginous tissue present in the joints. In its early stages, anti-inflammation therapies and physical therapy are the chief treatment methods. But, as the disease worsens, surgery becomes an urgent and crucial requirement.

Arthroscopy

Arthroscopy is considered as a less invasive kind of surgery in arthritis treatment. Arthroscopy is focused on repairing ligament and cartilage tissue damage in the knee and your other joints. At some stage in an arthroscopy, a tiny instrument that looks like an endoscope will be inserted in the afflicted joint via a little cut.

Although the efficacy of this type of surgery remains a debatable issue, many users confirm the benefits efficiency of the procedure when done in suitable conditions.

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.

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.

At times, arthritis also manifests as knock-legged or bow-legged aspects, which include a joint reorientation, such that the joint's weight center is moved from the damaged area to the healthy region. In these instances, osteotomy is usually the best option.

The Hybrid: Partial Knee Replacement Surgery

Regarded as a "hybrid" of both complete knee replacement surgery and osteotomy, the procedure known as partial knee replacement surgery is to a large extent less invasive than complete knee replacement surgery. The surgery is done by replacing the damaged part of the affected joint with a prosthetic one, while the healthy areas are left alone to heal. This type of surgery is recommended for severe arthritis cases restricted to specific portions of articulation. In comparison to complete knee replacement surgery, this procedure needs more tiny cuts and allows for a shorter recovery time.

A Practical Option: 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.

Associated Risks: Arthritis Knee Surgery

Like a good number pf major surgeries, patients who have undergone arthritis knee surgery have the potential to develop thrombosis, nerve damage, infections and various 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.

Arthritis Knee Surgery: Advantages and Disadvantages

Regardless of the risks connected to the surgery, arthritis knee surgery has several advantages that may help arthritis sufferers. The main advantages are, to name a few, considerable pain alleviation, enhanced mobility, as well as a considerable betterment of the patient's overall health. Additionally, within 6 months after the surgery, the previously afflicted joint may resume its full functionality.

On the other hand, this type of surgical procedure also includes a few noticeable drawbacks. For example, post-surgery patients may feel some pain and discomfort in the time after the procedure. Additionally, using a prosthetic joint can be noisy and may draw some attention. Sometimes, difficulties in movement may possibly develop. Plus, depending on the kind of prosthetics used, the prosthetic knee can have restricted usability, such as only ten to fifteen years before it needs to be replaced again.

That being said, however, if you evaluate the pain and discomfort in isolated patients against the substantial probability for successful results, it is easy to realize that the pros of this type of procedure unquestionably exceed its cons. - 15437

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