Despite the success of Total Knee Replacement, it can still fail over time due to various reasons. The most common are the following: wearing out of the replacement artificial joint, dislocation, and fracture. When any of these occur, your knee may become swollen, stiff, unstable and painful. If this happens to you, you may need to undergo a Total Knee Replacement Revision.
Revision of Total Knee Replacement
Basically, Total Knee Replacement revision is a second surgery. This is recommended when the knee replacement fails for some reason. In this surgery, the doctor will remove, either totally or partially, the prosthesis or artificial joint and replace them with new ones.
In the first total knee replacement, the knee joint is replaced with an artificial one, an implant also known as prosthesis. Such is made of plastic and metal components. If these fail, they will be replaced with new ones during the revision procedure. This is so because the implant may loosen or wear out over time and due to other factors.
Different types of revision surgery are available. In some cases, the whole implant is removed and replaced; while in others, only its parts are replaced. The artificial joint or prosthesis has three main components: femoral, patellar and tibial. They come with metal pieces which serve as substitute for the missing bone. All these may be replaced with new ones or only some, depending on the patient’s individual situation and condition.
Generally, the primary and revision Total Knee Replacement have the same goal; that is, to restore and improve function and to relieve pain. However, revision surgery is a more complex procedure. It requires specialized implants, extensive planning and longer procedure. But the result is still the same or even better.
Commonly Identified Benefits of Total Knee Revision
The revision procedure generally has the same benefits as the primary Total Knee Revision. But studies show that majority of patients who have undergone revision surgery experienced long-term outcomes. Some of these benefits are the following:
- Increased function and stability.
- More efficient pain relief.
- Faster recovery period.
- Regain of previous mobility.
- Getting back to performing normal activities.
