Advanced Knee Care

Knee Surgeon and Specialist Stefan D. Tarlow, M.D.

The Basics of Choosing a Knee Surgeon

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choosing a knee surgeon

Knee problem can be complicated that it sometimes leads to replacement surgery. People choose to undergo surgery because they have suffered enough from the discomfort, the pain and the other symptoms associated with their knee problem. But the procedure itself is not the only thing that people should consider. Equally important is the surgeon who will conduct the operation. That is why choosing the right and best knee surgeon is highly important to the success of the surgery and for the recovery as well. With this, we listed some of the basic things to consider when selecting a knee surgeon.

Basic Factors to Consider When Choosing a Knee Surgeon

  • Experience

This is highly important to the success of the surgery. Experience sharpens the skills and knowledge of a professional. So when you choose a knee surgeon, make sure to check how long has he/she been practicing and what disciplines is he/she most experienced at. You must also ask how many times has the surgeon performed knee replacement surgery and does he/she perform such many times a year? Questions like this help you establish the competency of the surgeon.

  • Education

The training, education and degrees of the surgeon also speak of his/her competence in the field. That is why you must consider and review the surgeon\s education, training, degrees, fellowship and board certifications.

  • Check Online

You can verify the surgeon’s credentials and education online. In the U.S., you can look into the surgeon’s disciplinary record and reputation through any of these associations’ respective website: American Medical Association and Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.

  • Ask Questions

It is your right as a patient to ask questions. After all, it’s your condition and health that are in line here. Try not to feel intimidated and uncomfortable when asking questions. Raise your concerns about the procedure, its success, the possible complications, the recovery time, etc. You can even ask the surgeon directly about his/her experience and credentials.

  • Second Opinion

If you are not comfortable or satisfied with the first surgeon you approached, you can always try a second opinion. The surgeon usually understands if you are not at ease and are requesting for a second opinion.

  • Trusting Your Instincts

Sometimes, you just have to trust your gut. Weighing in all the considerations mentioned above, you can just go with the surgeon you have a good feeling about.

Knees-Only Surgeon

Orthopedic surgeons perform knee surgery. However, in general, they are not specialized in knee replacement. If you really want a surgeon who is highly trained and experienced in knee procedures, go straight to a knees-only surgeon. In Arizona, TarlowKnee is the place to go. Dr. Tarlow is a knees-only surgeon who perform advanced procedures like knee replacement. Learn more about Dr. Tarlow today.

Total Knee Replacements: An Overview

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Younger Patients Driving Increase in Total Knee Replacement Surgery

From 1997 to 2007, the number of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) procedures performed annually in the United States doubled, with much of the increase taking place in younger patients, according to a study presented at the 2011 AAOS Annual Meeting.  Data has shown that younger and healthier patients have better post-TKA outcomes, the indications for performing surgery have been expanded to include these patients.  Keep in mind that more surgery in younger patients drives up the cost of US Healthcare, but better outcomes in young people justify the increase in costs.  Treating severe knee disability increases the productivity of these working aged people and improves quality of life for 20-30 years.

During the study period, the overall U.S. adult population grew slightly (1.13-fold and the prevalence of obesity grew 1.12-fold). But the number of TKAs performed more than doubled—from 264,311 in 1997 to 549,707 in 2007. When researchers examined population growth, obesity rates, and number of TKAs performed by age group, they found the greatest growth in TKAs among those younger than age 65.

What is driving the increase?

Obesity and population size accounted for 22.6 percent of the approximately 100 percent increase in the number of TKAs performed,” said author Elena Losina, PhD, director of the Orthopaedic and Arthritis Center for Outcomes Research at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.

The rapid expansion of TKA utilization can not be fully explained by increases in population and obesity prevalence.

Other factors that may be driving the increase in TKA include an increasingly active population and expanded indications for surgery among a younger patient population.
Previous studies have linked sport-related knee injuries and increased physical activity in younger people to an increase in early-onset osteoarthritis. Therefore, active lifestyle increases may help explain why rising numbers of younger patients are receiving TKAs.

4 Million Total Knees Walking Around the U.S.

From March, 2013 Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery

In the last decade, the number of total knee replacements performed by Knee Surgeons annually in the United States has doubled, with disproportionate increases among younger adults. While total knee replacement is a highly effective treatment for end-stage knee osteoarthritis, total knee replacement recipients can experience persistent pain and severe complications. We are aware of no current estimates of the prevalence of total knee replacement among adults in the U.S.

We estimated that 4.0 million  adults in the U.S. currently live with a total knee replacement, representing 4.2% of the population fifty years of age or older. The prevalence was higher among females (4.8%) than among males (3.4%) and increased with age.

Among older adults in the U.S., total knee replacement is nearly as prevalent as congestive heart failure. Nearly 1.5 million of those with a primary total knee replacement are fifty to sixty-nine years old, indicating that a large population is at risk for costly revision surgery as well as possible long-term complications of total knee replacement.

These prevalence estimates will be useful in planning health services specific to the population living with total knee replacement.

No Benefit Found For Continuous Passive Motion (CPM) After Total Knee Replacement

Advanced Knee Care, experts in knee replacement surgery,  is not able to recommend for the use of CPM after Total or Partial Knee Replacement surgery.  Unfortunately, some things that we do in medicine, we do because we’ve always done it, not because there are good data to support that practice.  Patients have come to expect the CPM — they hear previous patients talking about how it helped them recover, and they think they need it.  Here’s the thing — current data does not support it. Over the past 10 years, hospitals that specialize in total joint replacement have studied the use of CPM versus moving a patient rapidly into active therapy, and found that CPM is no better for a patient than introducing physical therapy shortly after the surgery. Evidence based treatment decisions show that  CPM had no significant advantage in terms of improving function or range of movement, and that its use increased blood loss and pain medication requirements. Another study concluded Continuous passive motion (CPM) gives no benefit in immediate functional recovery post-total knee arthroplasty (TKA), and the postoperative knee swelling persisted longer.  A third study concluded CPM did not lead to improved knee range of motion after Knee Replacement Surgery.

Dr.Tarlow says:  “It is time that we as surgeons only prescribe treatments in which costs are justified because of improved patient outcomes after knee surgery.  CPM machines do not satisfy this criteria.  It’s time to break the bad habit of prescribing things that do not aid in patient recovery”.

High-Impact Sports After Total Knee Arthroplasty

Patient reported activities often reveal non compliant behaviors after total knee
replacement (TKR). Although surgeons generally recommend avoiding heavy manual labor and high impact sports, there has been few medical studies to guide these traditional recommendations.

Mont et. al.reported on thirty one patients with knee replacements that participated in high impact sports including jogging, singles tennis, racquetball, squash and basketball on average 4 times per week. After an average four year followup, thirty two of the thirty three knees had successful clinical and x-ray outcomes. These results indicate that some patients will participate in high-impact sports and enjoy excellent clinical outcomes at a minimum 4 years after surgery. Clearly, patients with TKR participate in activities considered risky by surgeons.

At least in the short term, doing so does not appear to detract from the success of the procedure.

Total Knee Patient Experience Survey for Dr. Tarlow

The quality department at an inpatient surgical facility has provided the following survey summary.

1.  88 % of patients found the preop phone call from the hospital nurse helpful, and none of the patients would have preferred to come to the facility for an in person information session.  In 2016 the need for face to face communication for certain tasks is not desirable.
2.  3 months after Total Knee Replacement 37 % of patients rated their pain as worse than expected.  The average Total Knee patient needs 9-12 months of healing time so this survey result is expected.
3.  One year after Total Knee Replacement 90 % of people believe the surgery met their expectation and 10 % have not had their expectations met.  This is better than most scientific studies that report 80 % of patients had expectations met.

What is New in Total Knee Replacement

A summary appeared in the January, 2016 JBJS and here are the highlights.

Risk stratification is predictable and accurate for Knee Replacement patients.  Patients at higher risk for complications should postpone (if risk factors are modified) or avoid knee replacement surgery.  These risks are uncontrolled diabetes (higher risk of deep infection, blood clot, periprosthetic fracture, aseptic loosening, and poorer Knee Society function score.  Morbid obesity (BMI > 40)  is a patient factor associated with increased medical costs and complications including medical complication (heart attack, pneumonia, etc), postop knee infection, return to the operating room for a second procedure and longer hospitalization.  Morbidly obese patients have a higher risk of in hospital death after knee replacement surgery.

There is no evidence to support a particular design, brand, or material impact range of motion, clinical scores or quality of life.

The value of computer assisted TKR surgery remains undefined.  One study showed an insignificant improvement of leg alignment but no better rotation of tibial or femoral components compared to standard non navigated surgery.

Patient specific custom cutting blocks showed no improved clinical, operative or radiographic results.

 

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