Treatment for Arthritis in Knee

By admin

Treatment for arthritis in knee may include various surgical procedures like osteotomy, synovectomy, arthroplasty, arthroscopy, total knee replacement and unincompartmental knee replacement. These surgical procedures aim to alleviate the symptoms like joint pain, prevent he deformation of the knee and legs and improve the range of motion.

• Arthroscopy: this surgical procedure aims to provide a direct view of the structure of the joint using an arthroscope. An arthroscope is attacked to a closed-circuit television and this helps determine the amount of damage as well as the type of arthritis. Arthroscopic knee surgery is done under local anesthesia and this provides benefits for mild to moderate cases of knee arthritis. However, you should know that this surgical procedure could only provide a temporary solution to the problem and there is still a possibility that the symptoms will recur.
• Synovectomy: this procedure is done as an open surgery or with the use of an arthroscope. This procedure involves the removal of the soft tissue joint lining or the diseases synovium, thus reducing joint pain and swelling due to rheumatoid arthritis. However, just like in arthroscopy, this can only provide a temporary relief and the synovium may still grow back after several years.
• Osteotomy: in some cases of knee arthritis, leg deformities may occur like knocked-knee or bowleg and these can aggravate the symptoms of the condition. Osteotomy can correct these deformities. This procedure involves the cutting repositioning of the bone, either the femur or the tibia, to improve the alignment of the leg, thus relieving pain and making the symptoms easier to manage.
• Arthroplasty: this procedure involves the rebuilding of the knee joints. Arthroplasty is also known as total joint replacement where the entire or a part of the arthritic joint is removed. The removed joint will then be replaced with plastic, metal or ceramic parts. Here, the end of the bone where the worn out cartilages are located will be resurfaced, thus enabling the sufferer to regain activities in the knee joint.
• Unincompartmental knee replacement: this is also referred to as partial knee replacement. Such procedure is considered a great treatment for osteoarthritis in the knee joint. Out of the two knee compartments, only one can be affected by arthritis and the other one stays normal. This invasive procedure replaces the damaged part from one of the compartment to improve the condition of severe arthritis. The major benefit of this procedure is that smaller incision is made, it requires shorter recovery period and has minimal blood loss. This type of surgery is helpful in reducing the symptoms of knee arthritis and in improving the range of motion. However, the problem with this procedure is that the unaffected compartment in the knee may deteriorate at some point.
• Total knee replacement: this is the most recommended surgical procedure for most cases of osteoarthritis in the knee. This is suitable for individuals who are experiencing limited range of motion, hampered joint mobility and malfunctioned knee joints due to pain and swelling. In this procedure, the end of the damaged leg bone, the thighbone and the kneecap are all replaced using an artificial implant that can be made of metal or plastic. The artificial joint will be connected to the shin, kneecap and thighbone using a special material or cement.

Any of these knee surgical procedures can be considered as the best treatment for arthritis in knee. However, this should only be suggested once thorough diagnosis is determined and in case alternative treatments are not helpful against the condition.