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During knee replacement surgery
During the procedure, your knee is in a bent position so that all surfaces of the joint are fully exposed. After making an incision about 8 to 10 inches (20 to 25 centimeters) in length, your surgeon moves aside your kneecap and cuts away the damaged joint surfaces. Minimally invasive procedures use much smaller incisions, usually less than 4 inches (10 centimeters) long.
After the joint surfaces are prepared, the surgeon inserts and attaches the pieces of the artificial joint. Before closing the incision, he or she bends and rotates your knee, testing and balancing it to ensure that it functions properly. Expect knee replacement surgery to last about two hours.
After knee replacement surgery
After surgery, you're wheeled to a recovery room for one to two hours. You're then moved to your hospital room, where you typically stay for a couple of days before going home. You may feel some pain, but nerve blocks and medications prescribed by your doctor will help control it.
During the hospital stay, you're encouraged to move your foot and ankle, which increases blood flow to your leg muscles and helps prevent swelling and blood clots. You may need to receive blood thinners and wear support hose or compression boots to further protect against swelling and clotting.
The day after surgery, a physical therapist shows you how to exercise your new knee. During the first few weeks after surgery, you're more likely to experience a good recovery if you follow all of your surgeon's instructions concerning wound care, diet and exercise. Your physical activity program needs to include:
- A graduated walking program — first indoors, then outdoors — to gradually increase your mobility
- Slowly resuming other normal household activities, including walking up and down stairs
- Knee-strengthening exercises you learned from the hospital physical therapist, performed several times a day
- Martin GM, et al. Total knee arthroplasty. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 4, 2010.
- Total knee replacement. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00389. Accessed March 4, 2010.
- Crockarell JR, et al. Arthroplasty of the knee. In: Canale ST, et al. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/187318357-3/0/1584/34.html?tocnode=55686206&fromURL=34.html. Accessed March 5, 2010.
- Kaplan RJ. Total knee replacement. In: Frontera WR, et al. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/187318357-3/963204237/1678/74.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-4007-1..50073-0_1167. Accessed March 4, 2010.
- Billante MJ, et al. Knee replacement in aging athletes. In: DeLee JC, et al. DeLee and Drez's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/187318357-5/963235486/2079/63.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3143-7..00023-3--s1630_3895. Accessed March 5, 2010.
- Martin GM, et al. Complications of total knee arthroplasty. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 4, 2010.
- Anesthesia for hip and knee surgery. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00372. Accessed March 5, 2010.
- Minimally invasive total knee replacement. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00405. Accessed March 5, 2010.
- Joint surgery. American College of Rheumatology. https://www.rheumatology.org/practice/clinical/patients/diseases_and_conditions/jointsurgery.pdf. Accessed March 5, 2010.
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