The number of patients who, after recovering from knee or hip arthroplasty, report that for a long time they were afraid to undergo it, because they simply did not know what to expect after the surgery, remains large even today.
It is natural to be hesitant about having surgery, but it is ugly for someone to suffer unnecessarily with hip / knee pain for a long time due to inaccurate or misconceptions about arthroplasty surgery.
“Part of the surgeons’ job is to accurately inform patients about the available surgical and non-surgical options for treating hip / knee pain and to allow patients to choose the treatment that suits them, armed with these exact information.
“Here are common misconceptions and fears that many have about hip / knee replacement and what you can really expect after surgery,” he said. Nikolaos RoidisOrthopedic Surgeon, Head of Hip and Knee Department at Metropolitan General.
Pain
The most common reason people postpone joint replacement is because they think it will be very painful. Pain control after joint replacement has seen dramatic improvement over the past decade and now uses multifactorial pain control, that is, the simultaneous selection of multiple drugs and treatments that work together to manage and eliminate postoperative pain. It is extremely controlled, the postoperative course is painless and does not interfere with recovery when these techniques are used. Ultimately, the goal of arthroplasty is to eliminate pain, and the vast majority of patients achieve this goal.
Recovery speed
Patients who have a long stay in hospital or nursing home after joint replacement have been found to generally have higher complications and worse outcomes. Fast track protocols are now used so that patients can move and walk immediately, without postoperative pain, allowing them to go home immediately after outpatient surgery. Of course, each patient is different and a discussion with your surgeon will determine the most appropriate plan for you after surgery.
Activity
The main goal of arthroplasty is to return patients to a level of activity that improves their quality of life. The limitations that patients experience immediately after surgery due to edema, pain, and incision healing are temporary. Once they have an immediate recovery from surgery, patients are expected to return to normal activities of daily living – they can get dressed, climb stairs, etc. – and move on to activities they enjoy (walking, cycling, and more). recreational or sports activities). Most patients return to daily activity without pain and limitations after joint replacement.
Complications
“While complications can occur with any surgery, arthroplasty has entered a period of historically low complication rates and extremely high success rates. “This is due to many factors, but an important one is the careful evaluation of patients before surgery and the optimization of each patient specifically to reduce their risk,” says Mr. Roidis.
In addition, many surgeons are trained to use techniques and protocols that help reduce risk and improve outcomes. Of all the surgeries performed in the US, hip and knee replacement is one of the safest and most successful, dramatically improving patients’ pain and quality of life.
Age
Many patients are afraid that their age makes them bad candidates for knee or hip arthroplasty. While age can play a role in many aspects of surgery, it alone is not typically a reason to exclude patients from arthroplasty.
Younger patients considering joint replacement have different assessments than most older patients. Talking to a specialist Orthopedic Knee and Hip Surgeon can address concerns about specific aspects of care that are affected by age.
COVID-19
A recent unique issue is the impact that the new coronavirus pandemic has on the planning of selective surgery, including knee or hip arthroplasty. Despite the challenges that the health care system has faced during the pandemic, safe and effective procedures have been developed that allow safe elective surgery.
“This usually includes following the instructions, using personal protective equipment, preoperative COVID-19 screening, minimizing length of hospital stay, separating COVID-19 patients from others in the hospital, and careful orthopedic planning. large joint arthroplasty surgeries.
While there are many things to consider before deciding to have a joint arthroplasty, this information is helpful and offers realistic expectations for a quick and complete recovery after knee or hip arthroplasty.
The final recommendation is to find a specialized Orthopedic Surgeon for Knee and Hip with whom you feel comfortable, who will listen to you and help you “, concludes Mr. Nikolaos Roidis.
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