Bilateral Knee Replacement Surgery

A knee replacement surgery is recommended for people who suffer from reduced mobility due to severely damaged knee joints. This surgical procedure is mostly suggested for people who have either sustained a severe knee injury or those who suffer from degenerative joint disorders.

Osteoarthritis is one of the degenerative joint disorders that commonly affects one's range of motion and leads to reduced mobility.

This condition is associated with the wearing down of the cartilage that protects the ends of the femur and tibia, which in turn, are bones that make up the knee joint.

The cartilage which covers the ends of these bones prevent the bones from rubbing against each other. If the cartilage starts eroding, the other structures of the joint begin to weaken. This starts affecting one's range of motion.

People severely affected by osteoarthritis are generally seen as suitable candidates for this surgery, however, other factors may be considered to determine whether the surgery may be the best treatment option or not.

Surgery is considered only if the other treatment options have been exhausted. The extent of damage to the knee joint is one of the most important determining factors as to which surgical procedure should be performed. If both the knees are badly affected, doctors may ask the patient to undergo a bilateral knee replacement surgery.

Surgical Procedure for Bilateral Knee Replacement

If there is severe pain and stiffness, and one is unable to perform daily activities, one can consult a doctor regarding knee replacement surgery. X-ray examination or other imaging procedures will be conducted in order to determine if surgery is viable or not.

Wondering how is this procedure performed? Well, knee replacement surgery involves the removal of the damaged cartilage or the damaged knee surface, followed by creating new joint surfaces by lining the ends of bones with metal and plastic.

While the surface of the femur is lined with metal, plastic is used for covering the end of the tibia. The new joints would then attached to the bone with the help of a special material or coating. The bilateral knee replacement can be simultaneous or a staged procedure.

The simultaneous procedure refers to surgery wherein both the knees are operated upon at the same time, whereas staged procedure implies having two surgical procedures. One knee is operated upon at a time, leaving a gap of few weeks or months between the two surgical procedures.

Though both knees can be operated upon, if one has a simultaneous bilateral knee replacement procedure, the surgery takes longer.

Recovering from Bilateral Knee Replacement Surgery

Once the surgery is over, the patient will stay hospitalized for at least a week. The time one may take to recover from this surgery will depend on how successful the surgery was. If one develops any complications during the surgery, one may take longer to recover.

Antibiotics, blood thinners or pain medication will have to be administered intravenously. If the patient feels strong enough to be able to bear the weight, he/she can walk using crutches or a walker in a couple of days. Physiotherapy sessions begin a couple of days after the surgery.

The patient is made to perform mild exercises in order to help him/her bend and straighten the knees and flex the muscles. Physiotherapy sessions are aimed at strengthening the leg muscles and increasing the range of motion of the knee. Those who need special care, may need to go to a specialized rehabilitation center.

It is extremely important that the patient follows the guidelines given by the doctors or physiotherapists during the rehabilitation period. Those who don't follow the guidelines may find it hard to recover the normal range of motion. Under normal circumstances, one may at least take about three months to completely recover.

Artificial joint replacements usually last anywhere between ten to fifteen years, however, these may need to be replaced soon if the level of physical activity is high. These may not last for a long time if the patient is obese. So, there is a need to keep a tab on one's weight.

As with any other surgery, certain risks are associated with bilateral knee replacement surgery as well. Whether a single knee or both the knees are being operated upon, there is always a risk of the patient developing complications.

Infection, nerve damage, blood clotting, pulmonary embolism or anesthesia-related risks may arise. People suffering from systemic diseases are not considered to be suitable candidates for this surgery. This is due to the risk of cardiopulmonary or vascular complications.