Total Knee Replacement

What kind of outcome is typical for total knee replacement surgery?

A total knee replacement should alleviate pain and increase your mobility, improving your lifestyle. Implants can last for 20 years or more.

What are the risks of not having total knee replacement surgery?

If you need total knee replacement surgery and elect not to have it, pain from the damaged knee could continue to decrease your movement, affecting your ability to move and exercise. That will impact your overall health, making your knee problem worse. And the longer you wait the more your knee joint will deteriorate.

What are the alternatives to total knee replacement surgery?

Before deciding on a surgical solution to your knee problems, you might want to consider the alternatives. They include trying to lose weight to lessen the stress on your knees, low-impact exercise, careful use of pain medication including cortisone shots, and cartilage regeneration, which replaces the cushion between your bone endings. Radiofrequency ablation is another option. This minimally invasive procedure involves using an electric current from a radio wave to heat up a small area of nerve tissue to stop it from sending pain signals.

¿Cuáles son los posibles efectos secundarios de la anestesia general?

Algunos de los posibles efectos secundarios incluyen náuseas y vómitos, sequedad de boca, dolor de garganta, dolores musculares, dolor de cabeza, hematomas (por la vía intravenosa), picazón, escalofríos y sensación de frío, dificultad para orinar y somnolencia. En pacientes mayores, es posible que se produzca pérdida de memoria y confusión temporal.

What are possible side effects and complications of total knee replacement surgery?

While they’re rare, some of the possible complications of this procedure include infection at the site of the incision, a slow-healing wound and continued bleeding, blood clots, longer-lasting knee stiffness caused by scar tissue, persistent knee pain, an allergic reaction to the metal components in the knee joint, and failure of an implant.

How safe is total knee replacement surgery?

In general, severe complications from total knee replacement surgery are rare. You should also know that Hancock Regional Hospital has been rated one of the safest hospitals in America by El grupo Leapfrog, una organización nacional de vigilancia de la atención médica sin fines de lucro; y fue nombrado el hospital más seguro de Indiana en el Índice de hospitales del Lown Institute.

How do I know total knee replacement surgery is right for me?

You might be a good candidate for total knee replacement surgery if you’ve tried alternatives and nothing’s working to resolve your pain or lack of mobility. Alternatives include exercise and weight loss, and medication, including cortisone shots.

Do I have options for anesthesia for total knee replacement surgery?

General anesthesia is most common for this procedure. But regional anesthetics—spinal, epidural, or regional—are also possibilities.

What issue does total knee replacement surgery solve?

If you suffer from extreme knee pain and have trouble walking and climbing stairs, you might be a good candidate for total knee replacement surgery. This procedure often relieves pain and restores function for people who suffer from osteoarthritis. 

How is a total knee replacement done?

When you have total knee replacement surgery, a surgeon makes a 6 to 10-inch incision in your knee and cuts away your damaged or worn bone and cartilage. Then the ends of the bones that form your knee joint are capped with an artificial joint, made of metal and plastic. Before the incision is closed, your knee will be rotated to make sure the implant is functioning properly. 

What happens if my symptoms get worse while I wait for total knee replacement surgery?

Your surgical team will evaluate the situation and help you make a choice that’s right for you and your health. Temporary treatments might be used if your surgery is rescheduled.

Why might I have to wait to schedule total knee replacement surgery?

In some cases it takes time for a patient’s body to be ready for surgery—for example, if you have another medical issue including another surgical procedure or an illness, we might wait to schedule surgery. Your health and safety are our top priorities, so we schedule surgeries when they’re best for our patients.

¿El equipo quirúrgico conocerá mi historial médico?

Su historial médico se compilará y estará disponible para el equipo antes, durante y después de la cirugía. Si es paciente de Hancock Health, podremos acceder a sus registros dentro de nuestro sistema. Si no es así, trabajaremos con sus médicos para obtener la información necesaria.

¿Cómo debo decidir qué consejo del cirujano seguir?

Debe trabajar con el cirujano con el que se sienta cómodo, ya sea uno de nuestros cirujanos o no.

Do I have to get a second or third opinion for total knee replacement surgery?

Siempre puede obtener una segunda o tercera opinión, pero no es obligatoria.

What should I bring to my first appointment with a surgeon?

• Información del seguro  
• Registros médicos, incluido su historial médico, de su médico de atención primaria
• The most recent MRI image of your knee (Not sure where to go to get an MRI? Check out Salud Hancock, donde podrá entrar y salir rápidamente y pagar, en promedio, 70% menos de lo que pagaría en un hospital).

Do I need a referral to see a surgeon about total knee replacement surgery?

Your health insurance provider may require you to get a referral from your primary care provider to see a surgeon about total knee replacement surgery.

¿Cuánto tiempo tarda en desaparecer el efecto de la anestesia?

It takes about an hour for general anesthesia to wear off, but you may notice the effects for a day or so. It usually takes 30 minutes to an hour for local anesthesia to wear off, though the effects can last a few hours.

What do I need to bring to the hospital the day of my total knee replacement surgery?

Anything you’ll need for an overnight stay, including a change of underwear, a sweatshirt, glasses or contacts, headphones, and your medications. You might not be there overnight, but it’s a good idea to be prepared.

¿Por qué me preguntan mi nombre y fecha de nacimiento cada vez que recibo medicamentos?

Es una medida de seguridad asegurarse de que está recibiendo el medicamento que le recetaron.

¿Por qué hay tanta gente en mi equipo quirúrgico?

Además del cirujano, cuenta con un anestesiólogo, enfermeras (algunas de ellas se especializan en trabajar con pacientes y otras ayudan al cirujano) y personal de apoyo, que lo controlan al entrar y salir, compilar sus registros y más. Todos trabajan juntos, realizando sus trabajos individuales, para que el procedimiento sea lo más exitoso posible. 

Will I need someone to take me home after total knee replacement surgery?

For your safety and the safety of other motorists, you willneed someone to drive you home. If you don’t have a ride, we’ll help you arrange one.

What should I expect right before total knee replacement surgery?

• Llegará varias horas antes de la cirugía y lo acompañarán a la sala de espera preoperatoria.
• Te quitarás toda la ropa y las joyas y te pondrás una bata de hospital. (Sus objetos de valor se colocarán en un área segura o se los entregarán a un miembro de la familia). 
• Firmará todos los documentos necesarios y una enfermera preoperatoria tomará sus signos vitales, revisará sus medicamentos y responderá cualquier pregunta.
• Conocerá a los miembros de su equipo quirúrgico. Marcarán la ubicación de su cirugía en su cuerpo. 
• Se le colocará una vía intravenosa en la mano o el brazo para que se puedan administrar medicamentos, incluida la anestesia general. Si usa un tipo diferente de anestesia, recibirá una inyección.
• Cuando llegue el momento de la cirugía, lo trasladarán al quirófano en una camilla.

¿Por qué no puedo comer antes de la cirugía?

Existe el riesgo de aspiración, lo que significa inhalar objetos extraños, como comida o saliva, en los pulmones. Esto puede ocurrir porque el anestésico para la cirugía puede afectar la capacidad del cuerpo para impedir que el contenido del estómago ingrese a los pulmones. 

How should I prepare for this total knee replacement surgery?

You’ll probably be instructed not to eat anything after midnight on the day of your surgery, and you might also be told to stop taking certain medications or dietary supplements.

How long will I be in the hospital after total knee replacement surgery?

While the length of a hospital stay depends on each patient’s individual needs, many people can go home that same day. 

How long will I be under for a total knee replacement?

Lo anestesiarán durante todo el procedimiento y unos minutos después.

How long will the total knee replacement procedure take?

Total knee replacement surgery typically takes one to three hours.

¿Cuándo se informará a mi familia sobre cómo estoy?

Our associates will get information from the surgical team in the operating room during your surgery and keep them updated. Following the procedure, your surgeon will talk with them in person.

What will happen during total knee replacement surgery?

You’ll breathe oxygen through a mask and our team will track your vital signs as the surgery is performed. Your knee will be in a bent position, exposing the knee joint. That position gives the surgeon the best possible angle for the procedure.

Will I need to fill any prescriptions or take medication after total knee replacement surgery?

You may be prescribed pain medication, anticoagulants, or other symptom-reducing medications.

How soon after total knee replacement surgery can I eat or drink?

Es posible que no pueda comer ni beber de inmediato y es posible que le pidan que siga una dieta de líquidos claros durante uno a tres días. Después de eso, puede volver a consumir alimentos sólidos, pero se recomiendan productos fáciles de digerir, como sopas, pudines y yogur.

Will I receive pain medication right after total knee replacement surgery?

En la mayoría de los casos, los pacientes reciben analgésicos inmediatamente después de la cirugía. 

How soon after total knee replacement surgery will I be up and moving around?

Within 24 hours of the procedure, you’ll likely be asked to stand up and walk with the help of medical staff and a walker or crutches. The reason: Bearing weight on your new knee will help in the recovery process.

¿Cuándo podré hablar con mi cirujano después de la cirugía?

Podrá hablar con su cirujano inmediatamente después del procedimiento, mientras esté en la sala de recuperación.

How will I know if total knee replacement surgery worked?

Your surgeon will discuss your procedure with you. It can take up to three months for people who have knee replacement surgeries to return to most of their normal activities and as much as a year to fully recover.

What can I expect right after total knee replacement surgery?

You’ll wake up from surgery in the recovery room and, as you start to regain feeling in your body, you’ll receive pain medication. After leaving the recovery room, you’ll be taken to your hospital room where you will be able to see friends or family who came with you. 

What are payment options like for total knee replacement surgery at Hancock Health?

Hancock Health se compromete a ayudar a que una atención excelente sea asequible para todos los pacientes. Para obtener más información sobre las opciones de pago, visite la página de preguntas frecuentes sobre facturación y seguros en HancockRegionalHospital.org.

Will Medicare cover total knee replacement surgery?

Medicare parts A and B will cover the cost of knee replacement surgery, but it’s important for your doctor to indicate that the surgery is medically necessary.

Will insurance cover total knee replacement surgery?

In most cases, insurance will cover most of the costs associated with total knee replacement surgery. To obtain your possible out-of-pocket expenses, use our Herramienta de estimación de precios.

How much does total knee replacement surgery cost?

Consulta el Herramienta de transparencia de precios at HancockRegionalHospital.org for an idea of how much total knee replacement surgery might cost.