Nowadays, knee surgery is safe in most cases. However, bone replacement surgery involves some risks that are not common. Discover this procedure and its benefits.

There are circumstances in which knee surgery is the only option to treat or solve the problems that occur in this joint. This procedure is not without risk and is a choice that is generally made when there is no other alternative.

In young people, knee problems usually appear due to the practice of sporting activity or work activity. In older people, it is usual that knee pain is due to degenerative processes typical of aging.

There are cases in which pain in this joint seriously affects mobility and quality of life. In these circumstances, the most usual thing is to resort to knee surgery to solve the problem. Likewise, when there is a significant injury, there is no alternative but to operate.

Knee arthroscopy: what are its benefits?

There are several types of knee surgery and each responds to each patient’s specific needs and conditions. There are three operations of this kind, and they are the following:

Total or partial replacement: this is the most common type of knee surgery. It consists of removing the joint and replacing it with a prosthesis made of plastic, ceramic, or metal components. It is performed when there is irreparable damage.

Arthroscopy: This is a minimally invasive knee surgery performed to remove or repair the damaged meniscus, some cruciate ligament, or trim pieces of torn cartilage. It is also helpful to perform synovectomy, which is the removal of the lining of the joint.

Osteotomy: it is carried out when there is damage only in a section of the knee. In operation, the bones’ shape is modified, and they are repositioned to prevent weight bearing on the affected part using bone replacement surgery. It is also performed when a break in the joint has not healed completely.

Osteotomy is a type of surgery rarely performed since it usually requires a joint replacement sooner or later. It consists of bone replacement surgery in which a wedge of bone is removed or added to the tibia or femur to take the weight off the damaged area of the knee.

The risks involved are the following:

Infection: in the bone or surrounding soft tissue. It is treated with antibiotics.

Failure of the parts of the bones to join together: usually requires further surgery.

Injuries to nerves or blood vessels: may be of varying degrees of severity.

Partial, not total pain relief.

Stiffness in the knee.

As we have seen, although knee surgery carries some risks, if the patient maintains adequate rest and follows his doctor’s instructions, he will be able to get better and return to everyday life.