Conservative treatment options are always tried first. These include:
activity modification.
exercise and conditioning.
anti-inflamatory medication.
Physical therapy programs in water (aquatic therapy) allow patients
to exercise in non-weightbearing situations.
Shock-absorbing shoe inserts often relieve some pain during activities.
The injection into the joint of either cortisone or
newer visco supplements such as hyaluronic acid
may provide temporary relief for moderate to severe conditions.
neoprene sleeves and other dynamic braces to correct mal-alignment of
the leg.
Operative Treatment
Patients
having night pain, difficulty walking or performing normal activities may
be candidates for surgery. Operative treatments may include:
arthroscopy and debridement
(removal) of loose chondral fragments in the joint lining if the patient
has symptoms such as pain and swelling.
osteotomy, which corrects
the mal-alignment of the lower leg.
Finally, knee replacement surgery may dramatically
relieve the symptoms of knee arthritis.
Total Knee Replacement
Total knee replacement is an option for the patient who has not improved
after trying the conservative measures described above and whose quality
of life is severely affected. In knee replacement surgery all diseased
cartilage is removed, and a metal and plastic prosthesis or replacement,
is inserted. It is attached to the bone with bone cement or ingrowth
of bone into the prothesis. The surgery takes one to two hours and requires
a three to five day hospital stay. The results of knee replacement surgery
are reliable, and over 95% of patients report good to excellent results
at ten years.
Non-operativeTreatment
Patients
having night pain, difficulty walking or performing normal activities may
be candidates for surgery. Operative treatments may include:
