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WHEN
SHOULD YOU HAVE KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY?
Knee arthritis is not a
life-threatening condition and the procedure to treat it
is "elective".
There are possible complications associated
with knee replacement surgery. The decision to have the operation is
a highly personal matter, and only you can make that decision. You
have to make an informed incision and balance the risks versus the
benefits.
If your disability is great enough, the
potential benefits are worth the risk. If your arthritis is
responding to conservative measures, and you can still walk long
distances without a walking stick, you don't need a knee
replacement.
Here are some facts to help you make your
decision:
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Once you have knee arthritis it will never get
better. It won't even stay the same. It will generally progress as
time goes by. There are no exercises, diets, vitamins, or minerals
(including calcium) which will make any difference. Copper bracelets
will definitely not make any difference!
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The rate of further deterioration varies
greatly from person to person. The pain may become unbearable within
six months for one person, yet drag on at a tolerable level for
several years in another person who has the same degree of
arthritis.
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You may believe that it is better to delay
having the operation in hope that the technology of knee replacement
will improve with time. However, the rate of progress in this area
is extremely slow, so this is something to consider only if you are
very young, or your arthritis is mild and you can easily live with
your symptoms.
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More than 96% of patients who have a knee
replacement operation have no major complications.
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The main arguments against waiting too long
are:
a). The longer your arthritis forces you to
"sit around" the softer your bones become, and the weaker
your muscles.
b). If your pain and disability are not
responding to conservative measures, and you realize that you are
going to have to have the operation sooner or later anyhow, you may
reasonably conclude that there is no point in waiting. Why put it
off for another year or two when you could have spent that time
enjoying your life free of pain!
If you are in doubt about whether or not you
should have the surgery then you should also discuss your knee
problem with your family doctor and your rheumatologist, if you have
seen one. Advice from other people who have had knee replacements
may also be helpful, but be careful.
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