Thursday, January 29, 2009

Replacement Surgery For Arthritis

By Amy Clark

Arthritis is a disease that manifests with an abnormal inflammation in the body's articulations or joints. The fingers, hips, elbows and knees are the common targets of this condition.

Kinds of Arthritis

Arthritis occurs in different forms. Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis, is caused mostly by the aging process, but may also happen as a consequence of some lesions, malformations, or infections, of the knee. Less common but just as devastating forms of arthritis are the following: psoriatic arthritis, gouty arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Arthritis Treatment

Several modes of treatment are available for arthritis management. These may range from physical therapy, medication therapy, to arthritis surgery.

The latter, known collectively as arthritis knee surgery, has a range of more specialized forms - for instance, knee replacement surgery, arthroscopy, and knee osteotomy. The exact type of surgery depends on several factors, like the severity and degree of the pain.

What is Knee Arthritis Surgery?

Based on the state of the arthritis pain, the most recommended option for treatment is frequently arthritis knee surgery.

This disease commonly forms in steps, progressively degrading the cartilaginous tissue in the tissue joints. At the onset, anti-inflammation remedies and physical therapy are the main treatment modes. On the other hand, as the arthritis progresses, the surgical option turns into a pressing and vital need.

A Less Invasive Option: Arthroscopy

Arthroscopy is considered as a less invasive surgery in arthritis treatment. The procedure consists of fixing cartilage tissue and ligament damage in the knee and the other joints. In an arthroscopy surgery, a small device resembling an endoscope will be inserted in the afflicted region via a small incision.

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.

Sometimes, arthritis also develops through knock-legged or bow-legged cases, which are characterized by a reorientation of the joint, such that the weight center is transferred from the damaged region to the healthy area. In these instances, knee osteotomy is usually the best course of action.

Partial Knee Replacement Surgery

Called a "hybrid" of both osteotomy and complete knee replacement surgery, the procedure known as partial knee replacement surgery is to a large extent less invasive than complete knee replacement surgery. The surgery is executed through replacing the degraded area of the afflicted articulation with prosthetics, as the healthy areas are left alone to allow for healing. This procedure is advised for severe cases of arthritis confined to specific portions of articulation. Compared to complete knee replacement, this surgical procedure requires smaller cuts and calls for faster period of recovery.

Complete Knee Replacement Surgery: A Practical Option

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

Similar to a good number pf major surgeries, patients who have undergone arthritis knee surgery are vulnerable to thrombosis, nerve damage, infections and some anesthesia risks.

In addition, this type of surgery involves some post-surgery risks, including joint instability, kneecap dislocation/fracture, along with decreased mobility or decreased range of motion.

Arthritis Knee Surgery: Advantages and Disadvantages

Despite the potential risks associated to this surgery, arthritis knee surgery provides lots of pros that may benefit inflicted patients. The primary pros are, among others, substantial pain alleviation, enhanced mobility, and a considerable betterment of the patient's quality of life. Additionally, in a timeframe of 6 months subsequent to the surgery, the previously affected joint may resume its full functionality.

On the other hand, this type of surgical procedure also provides a few perceptible cons. For example, patients may possibly experience soreness and discomfort in the period of time after the surgical procedure. Moreover, using a prosthetic joint may be noisy and may draw some attention. In some cases, movement difficulties may potentially arise. Similarly, depending on the prosthetic type used, the fake knee may have limited usability, such as only 10 to 15 years before a new replacement knee is needed.

All things considered, however, if you weigh the pain and discomfort that are observed in some cases versus the substantial probability for successful results, it is fairly easy to deduce that the pros of this type of surgery certainly outweigh its cons. - 15437

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