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Revision Knee Replacement Surgery

INTRODUCTION A revision knee replacement surgery is a procedure that is performed to replace a knee implant that is no longer functioning properly. Most knee replacements last several decades, some longer. However, there are also times when a knee replacement needs to be redone after years or even just months. Understanding why a knee replacement has worn out is critical to performing a successful revision knee replacement. The average knee replacement lasts more than two decades, and there are reports of implants lasting longer, and new materials and surgical techniques are hoped to provide even longer-lasting knee replacements. That said, there are times when knee replacements may last a very short time, even in otherwise healthy patients. A small percentage of patients (around 1-2%) end up requiring a knee replacement revised within a few years of their initial surgery. Revision replacements are performed for a number of reasons. Some of the more common include: Loosening of the implant Infection of the joint Instability of the knee Malalignment of the components Many people ultimately have a revision knee replacement because the problem is causing significant pain. While pain can be a problem in itself, a revision knee replacement surgery should not be performed without understanding why the pain is occurring. Performing this type of surgery for pain without an identified cause is unlikely to yield good results. Instead, the cause of the problem with the knee replacement needs to be precisely understood, and there needs to be a plan to address that problem with the implant. An operation without a clear plan to address the problem is unlikely to be helpful. Complexity in revision surgeries Revision replacement is difficult for several reasons. First, when someone has had surgery, scar tissue develops, and soft tissues become less identifiable. Performing the second surgery is always more difficult. Second, when performing a knee replacement, bone is removed. When performing a revision knee, often more bone has to be removed, and some may be lost as a result of the problem with the implant. Maintaining adequate bone to support the new implant can be a challenge. Finally, obtaining a knee that is flexible enough to allow for motion, yet stable enough to keep you steady, is also more difficult in revision situations. PRE-OPERATIVE PHASE Your surgeon will send you for routine blood tests to rule out infection, CT scan to look closer at the anatomy, and bone scans to help to determine if a component is loose. X-rays and/or MRI will be considered. Aspiration of the knee joint is occasionally done to diagnose or rule out infection Patient will be asked to undertake a general medical check-up with a physician Patient should have any other medical, surgical or dental problems attended to prior to the surgery in order to prevent a risk of infection. Cease aspirin or anti-inflammatory medications 10 days prior to surgery as they can cause bleeding. Any antiplatelet drugs / blood thinners such as clopidogrel, warfarin will be stopped 3-7 days prior to the date of surgery. Surgical consent will be explained to the patient detailing the procedure as well as the risks involved, if any. Blood transfusion, if required will be informed and done. Day of surgery You will meet the nurses and answer some questions for the hospital records You will meet your anesthetist, who will ask you a few questions and assess the risk factors for surgery. You will be given hospital clothes to change into and have a shower prior to surgery The operation site will be shaved and cleaned Approximately 45 minutes prior to surgery, you will be transferred to the operating room After explanation of the procedure, you will be asked to sign the consent for surgery. Occasionally, a high risk consent for surgery may be requested depending on the blood reports and clinical examination. SURGICAL PROCEDURE Each knee is individual and knee replacements take this into account by having different sizes for your knee. If there is more than the usual amount of bone loss, sometimes extra pieces of metal or bone are added. Surgery is performed under sterile conditions in the operating room under spinal or general anesthesia. You will be on your back and a tourniquet will be applied to your upper thigh to reduce blood loss. Surgery takes approximately two hours. The patient is positioned on the operating table and the leg prepped and draped. A tourniquet is applied to the upper thigh and the leg is prepared for the surgery with a sterilizing solution. An incision around 7cm is made to expose the knee joint. Old/ damaged components of the implants are removed. The bone ends of the femur and tibia are prepared using a saw or a burr to freshen the bone. Trial components are then inserted to make sure they fit properly. The real components (Femoral & Tibial) are then put into place with or without cement. The knee is then carefully closed and drains usually inserted, and the knee dressed and bandaged. POST- OPERATIVE MANAGEMENT When you wake up you will be in the recovery room with intravenous drips in your arm, a tube (catheter) in your bladder may be inserted, and a number of other monitors to check your vitals. Once stable, you will be taken to the ward. The postop protocol is surgeon dependent, but in general your drain will come out at 24 hours and you will sit out of bed and start moving your knee and walking on it within a day or two of surgery. The dressing will be reduced usually on the second postop day to make movement easier. Your rehabilitation and mobilization will be supervised by a physical therapist. To avoid lung congestion, it is important to breathe deeply and cough up any phlegm you may have. Your surgeon will use one or more measures to minimize blood clots in your legs, such as inflatable leg coverings, stockings, and injections to thin the blood clots or DVT’s. A lot of the long-term results of knee replacements depend on how much work you put into it following your operation. Usually you will be in hospital for 3-5 days and then either go home or to a rehabilitation facility depending on your needs. You will need physical therapy on your knee following surgery. You will be discharged on a walker or crutches and usually progress to a cane at six weeks. Your sutures will be removed at approximately 12-15 days. Bending your knee is variable, but by 6 weeks it should bend to 90 degrees. The goal is to get 110-115 degrees of movement. Once the wound is healed, you may shower. You can drive at about 6 weeks, once you have regained control of your leg. You should be walking reasonably comfortably by 6 weeks. More physical activities, such as sports may take 3 months to be able to do comfortably. You will usually have a 6-week checkup with your surgeon who will assess your progress. You should continue to see your surgeon for the rest of your life to check your knee and take X-rays. This is important as sometimes your knee can feel excellent but there can be a problem only recognized on X-ray. You are always at risk of infections especially with any dental work or other surgical procedures where germs (bacteria) can get into the blood stream and find their way to your knee. If you ever have any unexplained pain, swelling, redness or if you feel unwell you should see your doctor as soon as possible. A Revision Knee replacement is a complex procedure and requires a highly skilled surgeon with adequate expertise. Our Consultant in chief, Dr Vikas Jain is one of the few surgeons in the region who is trained from Europe and has adequate surgical experience in such complex revision procedures.

Shoulder Arthroscopy- Dislocation Bankarts Repair Surgery

Shoulder Arthroscopy- Dislocation Bankarts Repair Surgery To better understand what shoulder dislocation is, an overview of the shoulder is needed. The humeral head (ball of the shoulder joint) is centered in the glenoid (the socket of the joint), which stabilizes the shoulder. If the shoulder becomes dislocated, it can tear the glenoid labrum and ligaments that help reinforce its structure. Bankarts repair surgery is a minimally invasive surgery to repair instability and restore function of dislocated shoulders. The goal of Bankart repair surgery is to re-attach the torn labrum and ligaments to the tip of glenoid from which they were detached. Symptoms of Bankart tear or lesions are: • Severe shoulder pain • Shoulder dislocation, single or multiple episode. • Repeated instances where the shoulders give out during activity • Sensation of the shoulder feeling loose, slipping out of the joint or “hanging there” PRE-OPERATIVE STEPS Every effort is made to assess the patient prior to surgery in order to ensure safety of the patient for the elective procedure. 1. After admission, routine blood work-up will be done prior to surgery. Depending on the age of the patient and other premorbid conditions, other investigations such as Echocardiography may be performed in elderly patients. 2. All the investigations prior to surgery are performed in order to ensure that the surgical procedure can be safely tolerated by the patient, since shoulder arthroscopy is an elective procedure. If any risk is involved, the patient/ attendants will be informed so. 3. Blood transfusion though rarely required, may be done depending on the reports. 4. X-rays and/or MRI may be done depending on the surgeon’s choice and the surgical indication. 5. Surgical consent will be explained to the patient detailing the procedure as well as the risks involved, if any. INTRA OPERATIVE STEPS 1. After anesthesia induction and patient positioning your surgeon will make two small incisions in the front and one small incision in the back of the shoulder. 2. The surgery is considered minimally invasive thanks to the small incisions resulting in less discomfort and shorter recovery time. 3. The surgery is performed using a small fiberoptic camera (an arthroscope) and other small instruments. 4. The labrum tissue which is attached due to fibrosis at abnormal position (after shoulder dislocation) is released from the underlying glenoid. 5. Small holes are drilled near the detached labrum, once it has been cleared of loose particles. 6. The surgeon will then attach sutures to the released labrum and pull them tightly across the anchors so the labrum can be reattached to the glenoid. 7. Once the ligaments are firmly in place, the incisions are then closed with small bandages and the surgery is complete. POST OPERATIVE STEPS The first few days following surgery may be painful, but is typically managed by minimal amounts of pain medication. Seven to 10 days after the surgery, patients should have a follow-up with their surgeon.. Physical therapy helps to improve physical strength, range of motion, and assists with normal activities of daily living. 1. After surgery the arm is placed in a sling immobilizer. The sling is worn for at least the first two weeks after the operation. It should be removed when bathing/showering, or to do exercises. The sling is worn to sleep, and when in big crowds for at least four weeks after surgery. 2. Physical therapy should begin 7 to 10 days after surgery. Your surgeon will guide you through the exercises required after the surgery. The exercises are necessary to strengthen the muscles around the shoulder joint. 3. 1-2 week: passive shoulder motion and passive/active elbow motion 4. 2-8 weeks: active-assisted range of motion 5. 8-12 weeks: isometric rotator cuff strengthening 6. 3-6 months: sports- and work-related exercises 7. Return to sport: conditioning at 12 weeks but full return to contact sports at 6 months For the first four to six weeks following surgery, the focus should be on rehabilitation and regaining as much range of motion as possible (keeping surgical repair in mind). Depending on the progress of the patient, the next four to six weeks the focus will be on increasing the strength of the shoulder. As the strength of the shoulder improves any pain should decrease. Patients should visit their physical therapist six-eight times over a period of 12 weeks. Depending on the recovery, a patient can return to normal activity within a short period.

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