Revised joint replacement packages and pricing as per Govt NPPA implant pricing, effective 16th Aug 2017.

Information About Knee Replacement Surgery for Patients and Their Families

If your doctor suggests knee surgery as a treatment for your injury or arthritis of the knee, you may feel a little scared and unsure about what’s likely to happen to you. Relax. Getting the right information and knowing the options can help you approach your impending treatment in a calm, unstressed state of mind.

This section of our website provides key facts about Knee Replacement Surgery and related issues for patients and their families.

By browsing the site, you will be able to gather information about:

  • Various Knee Surgeries and Alternatives
  • Knee Anatomy and Function
  • Degenerative Changes Associated with Knee Arthritis
  • What to Expect on Surgery Day
  • Guidelines for Post-Operative Care and Rehabilitation
  • Getting back to Life After Knee Replacement

The long-term goal of a knee replacement is to provide pain relief, restore normal activities of daily living, and enhance your quality of life.

Knee Surgery Overview

There are three major types of knee surgery: arthroscopic, partial knee replacement, and total knee replacement. Your doctor will advise you as to which surgery is right for your situation.

Knee Arthroscopy

In knee arthroscopy, a small camera is inserted into the knee joint through a small incision. The camera is attached to a video monitor so the doctor can see inside the knee.

Once the camera is in place, salt water is pumped into the knee joint. This expands the joint to make the surgery easier, and controls bleeding in the joint. Once the surgeon has determined what injuries exist, he will make one to four new incisions for the surgical instruments. These may include a blunt hook for pulling on various tissues, a shaver to remove damaged or unwanted tissues such as torn cartilage, and a burr to remove bone. After the surgery, the knee joint is drained, the incisions are closed, and a bandage or dressing is applied to the knee. Arthroscopy may be used for a variety of knee joint conditions, including a torn meniscus, mild arthritis, loose pieces of broken cartilage in the joint, a torn or damaged anterior or posterior cruciate ligament, inflamed or damaged synovium or lining of the joint, or misalignment of the knee cap. After the surgery, most people are able to go home the same day. Patients with no other problems, such as arthritis, can expect a full recovery within four to six weeks and with relatively little pain..

Partial Knee Replacement (Uni-Comapartmental)

Partial Knee Replacement is a procedure that provides patients with a minimally invasive solution for arthritis of the knee. Partial Knee Replacement is used for cases of osteoarthritis where damage to one section or compartment of the knee is causing debilitating pain.

This procedure replaces only the damaged area of your knee joint, may require only one day of hospitalization, and results in dramatically less recovery time when compared with Total Knee Replacement surgery.

Learn More About Knee Surgery: Partial Knee Replacement...

Total Knee Replacement

In advanced cases of arthritis it may be necessary to replace the knee joint with an artificial joint in a procedure known as total knee replacement. This procedure normally takes between one and two hours and is the most comprehensive of the three surgical procedures available for treating arthritis of the knee.

Learn More Knee Surgery:Total Knee Replacement...

FAQ's - Frequently Asked Questions

What are the different types of knee surgery?

The term "knee surgery" is an umbrella term that encompasses a diverse set of surgical procedures performed on the knee to repair and resolve problems. Broadly, knee surgeries can be segregated into two categories: arthroscopy and open knee surgery.

Arthroscopy knee surgery in Mumbai:

This is a minimally invasive surgical procedure where tiny specialized instruments are used to address and resolve knee problems like minor tears or cartilage damage. Arthroscopy in Mumbai is generally used for the following knee surgery procedures:

  1. Meniscectomy knee surgery in Mumbai: Arthroscopy can be used to remove torn meniscus, which is a cushioning and stabilizing piece of cartilage in the knee joint. If the torn meniscus has a blood supply, arthroscopy can be used to repair and stitch it back together.
  2. ACL reconstruction: Tear of the anterior cruciate ligament is a commonly suffered knee problem by athletes. Arthroscopy can be used to repair and reconstruct the ACL to stabilize the knee joint and restore its function.

In addition to the above, arthroscopy can also be used for Cartilage debridement, Synovectomy, Ligament repairs, and even for treatment of baker's cyst.

Open Knee Surgery in Mumbai:

Open knee surgery encompasses knee procedures that require larger incisions to directly access the knee joint. Open knee surgery is often used for more complex repairs and reconstructions that cannot be performed with minimally invasive procedures like arthroscopy. Knee replacement surgery is the most common and prominent knee surgery performed in this way.

Knee Replacement Surgery in Mumbai: Knee replacement is the most common and popular knee surgery that is performed to replace all or part of the knee joint components to restore the function of the knee in cases of severe knee arthritis or trauma. Depending on the severity of the knee problem, two types of knee replacement surgeries are performed:

Total knee replacement in Mumbai: All the components of the knee joint are replaced by artificial knee joint parts to give a complete knee joint.

Partial knee replacement in Mumbai: In this type of knee surgery, only damaged parts are replaced with artificial knee joint components. This procedure retains the natural knee parts and is less invasive compared to total knee replacement.

In addition to the above, osteotomy (bone realignment), Patellar realignment surgery, complex tendon repairs, and ligament reconstructions are other types of knee surgeries performed in this way.

How long does it take to recover from knee surgery?

As mentioned earlier, knee surgery is an umbrella term that encompasses a wide variety of procedures performed for specific problems and their severity.

Each of these procedures carries a different recovery time, depending on the severity of the situation and the type of surgery used to address the knee issue: minimally invasive or open knee surgery.

Additionally, recovery largely depends on the specific condition and the patient's effectiveness of their rehabilitation. So, on average, here are the estimated recovery times for some common knee surgeries, assuming everything is performed to perfection:

Surgery Type Category Estimated Recovery Time
Meniscus Surgery Arthroscopic 1-4 weeks (basic function), 6-8 weeks (full activity)
Arthroscopic Cartilage Debridement Arthroscopic 2-4 weeks (basic function), 4-6 weeks (full activity)
Ligament Repair (minor tears) Arthroscopic 4-8 weeks (basic function), 6-12 months (full activity with return to sports)
ACL Reconstruction Open 6-12 months (full recovery)
Major Meniscus Repair Open 4-8 weeks (basic function), 6-12 months (full activity with return to sports)
Knee Replacement (total or partial) Open 3-6 months (basic function), 12+ months (full recovery)
Patellar Realignment Surgery Open 4-6 weeks (basic function), 3-6 months (full activity)
What are the risks associated with knee surgery?

Knee surgery has successfully relieved the incessant knee pain of millions of patients worldwide. By accurately repairing the inherent knee problems or replacing them with knee components, as in knee replacement surgery, advanced knee surgery has had a phenomenal impact on the lives of patients.

However, like any other surgery, knee surgery also comes with inherent risks which involve anaesthesia complications, blood clots, infection, stiffness, pain, or lengthy recovery. However, the upsides completely outweigh these risks, which are at the lower end of the spectrum.

Are there alternative treatments to knee surgery?

Any knee surgery procedure is only prescribed when all the other non-surgical options, like medication management and physiotherapy, do not provide adequate relief for patients. So when a knee surgeon prescribes a specific knee surgery procedure, it is only chosen when it is the only option. Having said that, there could be an alternative surgery for the specific surgery suggested, but only a knee specialist can prescribe it for the patient based on the specific condition.