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The Procedure
Preoperative Holding While in preoperative holding, you will:
Answer questions: You'll be asked several questions regarding your medication, allergies and medical history, and your vital signs will be taken. Reva's corner:
In the operating room, your surgeon determines what incision procedure will be used, depending on your muscle mass, weight, and amount of bone that has been damaged by arthritis. You'll then be wheeled into your operating room. Once in the operating room, you'll be moved from your gurney onto the operating bed. If the operating room feels cold, it is - the temperature is intentionally kept cool to help prevent infections. Don't worry, though. Your nursing team will cover you with blankets to keep you warm. EKG electrodes will be placed on your chest and sides to monitor your heart rhythm during surgery. Then the anesthesiologist will inject medication through your IV line to put you to sleep (general anesthesia) or block feeling from the waist down (spinal anesthesia). After you are asleep, a nurse may insert a urinary catheter - a thin, sterile tube inserted into your bladder to drain urine. The surgeons operating time, from the start of incision to closing the incision, is about one and a half hours. Following the surgery, you will be taken to a recovery room where you will stay for about an hour as you come out of anaesthesia. You will then be taken back to your room. Total Knee Replacement To view an animation of a total knee replacement click here The surgeon begins the operation by making an incision down the front of your knee. The exposed patella is then turned completely over, allowing the surgeon access to the joint underneath. The knee is then bent at approximately 125 degrees, exposing the ends of both bones. Using special instruments, the surgeon removes diseased bone from the
area and prepares the sites for the prosthesis. To resurface and replace
the end of the tibia, a metal or plastic "tray" is placed
on the top surface of the tibia. It's joined to the tibia by a metal stem
inserted into the bone or tibial canal and secured with special bone cement
or surgical screws. A special low-friction polyethylene insert, sized and fitted specifically
for your knee, is attached to top of this tray.
Next, a smooth, implant-grade metal piece (also custom-fitted for your knee) is placed over the end of the prepared femur and set in place with bone cement. Finally, the patella is resurfaced and a small plastic piece designed to cover the new joint is attached to its rear side.
The incision will be closed with either stitches or staples. Your surgeon may also insert a hemovac in the incisional area to help drain any post-operative bleeding. Partial Knee Replacement To view an animation of a partial knee replacement
click
here
As with a total knee replacement, a small amount of diseased bone and joint surface in the affected compartment will be replaced with a metal and plastic prosthetic implant. Two compartments are located at the juncture of the tibia and femur, and the other is underneath the patella. If bone wear and arthritis in one of the compartments has made your leg crooked, the implant can also help straighten your leg. The incision will be closed with either stitches or staples. Your surgeon may also insert a hemovac in the incisional area to help drain any post-operative bleeding. The surgeons operating time from the start of incision to closing the incision is about one and a half hours. Following the surgery, you will be taken to a recovery room where you will stay for about an hour as you come out of anaesthesia. You will then be taken back to your room. Minimally Invasive Surgery - Learn more. Next: After Surgery
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