The knee is not only the largest, but also one of the most complex joints in the body. The lower end of the thighbone (femur), shinbone (tibia), and kneecap (patella) form the knee joint. Large ligaments attach the bones together, providing stability during movement. These ligaments are the anterior cruciate (ACL), posterior cruciate (PCL), medial collateral (MCL), and lateral collateral (LCL). Additionally, joint surfaces are covered with articular cartilage, a smooth substance that cushions the bones, enabling them to move easily.
Injuries, such as ligament and cartilage tears, cause a great deal of pain to the patient; however, the most common cause for pain is usually related to arthritis. Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and traumatic arthritis are the most common forms.
This form of the disease is typical in patients over the age of 50, with a family history of arthritis. The cartilage that pillows the bones wears away, allowing the bones to rub against each other and causing great pain and stiffness.
Rheumatoid Arthritis is a chronic disease that occurs when the synovial membrane becomes thickened and inflamed, producing too much fluid that overfills the joint space. This inflammation can damage the cartilage causing stiffness and pain.
This type of arthritis is usually the result of a serious knee injury. A knee fracture or severe tear of the knee ligaments may damage the cartilage immediately or over time, causing knee pain and limiting the range of motion.
In arthritis, it is common that pain develops gradually; however, in some cases, sudden onset is possible. When this happens, the joint becomes stiff and swollen, making it hard to bend or keep a straight knee. The stiffness increases in the morning, or when the knee has been in the same position for an extended period of time. Some patients report that weather changes affect the degree of pain caused by arthritis.
The orthopaedic surgeon will initially perform a physical examination that focuses on patient walking ability, range of motion in the limb, and joint swelling or tenderness. Imaging tests, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), X-rays, and other similar tests, may be needed to efficiently diagnose the problem with the knee joint.
The orthopaedic surgeon will initially suggest non-surgical approaches, such as physical therapy, medications, change of lifestyle, and resting. However, if these treatments fail to alleviate joint pain, the surgeon may suggest surgical intervention.
For this surgery, the patient will most likely be admitted to the hospital on the day of the surgery. The first step is to be evaluated by the anesthesia team, who will decide the type of anesthesia used for the surgery.
The procedure usually takes around two hours, during which the orthopaedic surgeon will remove the damaged cartilage and bone and position the new metal, plastic, or ceramic joint surfaces to restore function of the knee.
There are three components involved in this type of surgery: the femoral (made of metal), tibial (made of durable plastic), and patellar (durable plastic).
After surgery, the patient will stay in a recovery room for about two hours to recover from the anesthesia. After waking up, the patient will be moved to a hospital room.
Dr. Haar, a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon with over 25 years of experience, uses cutting edge, state-of-the-art orthopaedic procedures in the treatment of his patients. Call us at (212) 876-7000 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Haar, or to request more information.
The initial consultation charges to begin the procedure of seeing Board Certified Surgeons is $650 for knee surgery in New York, which gets applied to further schedules or surgery indicated by the specialist.
Osteoarthritis is one of the most common conditions that requires to be treated with knee surgery in New York. It is mostly seen to affect older adults and middle-aged people. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that is depicted by the breakage in joint cartilage and adjacent bone of the knee. Other causes that result in knee injury or knee joint degeneration are rheumatoid arthritis, torn cartilage, torn or damaged ligaments and fractures. All these factors over years, foster irreversible damage to the knee joints and lead to knee surgery.
Robot-assisted total knee arthroplasty has the ability to design implants capable of adapting to the patient's knee, rather than the current design philosophy in which the knee fits the implant. Robot-assisted surgery aims to enhance the surgeon's ability to optimize soft tissue balance, reproduce alignment, and restore normal knee kinematics.
However, if you are a good candidate for robotic knee replacement surgery or not, depends on a lot of factors like your age, diet, lifestyle, the severity of your joint damage and more. Hence, your knee surgeon is the best judge to tell you whether you are eligible for a robotic knee replacement surgery.
Most commonly patients with osteoarthritis , whose condition hasn’t gained ground extensively are suitable for a robotic knee surgery. Talk thoroughly with your doctor about swelling, stiffness and level of pain around your knee to know your eligibility.
With knee arthroscopy, patients quickly regain mobility and can perform daily activities in a short time. As it is a minimally invasive surgical intervention - through incisions smaller than 5mm and the support of a camera - it allows a clear view of the knee to repair injuries that cause pain or limit movement. It has minimal risks of complication and promotes greater functional and aesthetic stability. Unlike traditional surgery, which requires a larger wound, prolonged hospitalization and a long time of disability, this procedure allows you to leave the clinic where it is performed the same day it is performed.
The patient must take care of the wound resulting from the surgery to prevent infection from occurring. The wound will be sutured with stitches or staples. These will be removed several weeks after the knee replacement operation. Until then, and even until the scar is completely dry, the patient should avoid submerging or over-wetting the wound.
Physical activity is a key element in recovery after knee replacement surgery, especially the first weeks at home after surgery. The better and more regularly they are performed, the shorter the recovery time. It is recommended to start walking as soon as possible after the operation, to strengthen the knee muscles as soon as possible, since in many cases due to deformity or pain, and lack of physical activity muscle atrophy occurs. Patients can resume normal day-to-day activities 3 to 6 weeks after surgery.
