Guide To Knee Dislocation Surgery
The knee is one of the most important joints of the body because it bears a lot of weight and is essential to walking around. Unfortunately, this joint is also fairly easy to dislocate. Things like a blow to the knee, arthritis, or even turning too sharply while putting weight on the knee can be enough to result in a painful dislocation. A knee dislocation does not always heal on its own, but modern medicine has created an effective form of treatment for individuals dealing with this issue. The treatment for this injury now comes in the form of a surgery that can repair the knee completely. Here is everything patients need to learn about knee dislocation surgeries.
What The Surgery Can Repair
Knowing what the surgery can repair will let patients know if knee dislocation surgery is a good option, as not all knee dislocations require the surgery. For a single occurrence of mild dislocation, a doctor will normally just put the knee back in place and recommend physical therapy. However, the knee joint is likely to become destabilized following a dislocation, so a patient may find their knee dislocating again and again. The surgery is normally used in cases where an individual has multiple dislocations or severe damage, and its role is to stabilize the knee so more dislocations do not occur. Surgery for the knee can repair tears to the ligaments that stabilize the knee, or it can repair damage to the cartilage and meniscus that cushion the knee joint. In cases where the arteries around the knee are damaged, the surgery can remove clots or bypass damaged arteries. Some styles of surgery can also fix nerve damage that impairs knee and calf movement.
How The Surgery Is Performed
How the knee dislocation surgery is performed will depend on what type of knee dislocation surgery a patient receives. One common type of knee dislocation surgery is a lateral release surgery, which slightly cuts a band of fibrous tissue along the outside of the knee joint to keep the band from pulling the kneecap to the side over and over. Doctors may also tweak the placement of muscles along the knee to help hold the joint in place. In almost all knee dislocations, the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) is torn, so some surgical techniques involve using a donor or grafted tendon to reconstruct the MPFL. For situations where cartilage is torn, doctors may also need to implant a cartilage graft. Surgeries can be performed as an open operation, where the doctors make a large incision to reach the knee, or they can be done arthroscopically. Arthroscopic methods feed a tube filled with instruments into the area, so the incisions are a lot smaller.
What Patients Can Expect
Regardless of which methods a doctor uses, what patients can expect stays roughly the same. The process always starts with a few consultations where the doctor will talk to the patient, get X-rays or other scans of their knees, and decide on a surgical plan. Typically, they plan to time the surgery about three weeks following the last dislocation. On the day of the surgery, patients will visit the healthcare facility and receive general anesthesia, which will knock them out. When patients wake up from the knee dislocation surgery, their knee will normally be in a brace that locks their knee at a slightly bent position, and they will need to walk on crutches. The brace is removed after two weeks, and then patients will need to go through a lot of physical rehabilitation to get their knee in optimal condition again. Following the surgery, it can take a few months to regain all mobility and strength. Some patients report they experience some stiffness even after they are fully recovered.
Potential Surgical Complications
Although surgery can be a very helpful way of dealing with repeated dislocations, it is still a serious treatment. There are a few potential surgical complications patients need to be informed about before deciding on surgery. The simplest and most common side effect is just infection. The surgery requires some incisions, and if they are not properly cleaned and taken care of, patients can develop infections that cause fevers and other problems. Another common issue is scar tissue along the surgical sites, which can prevent them from moving their knee through the full range of motion. Taking the time to do all prescribed physical therapy exercises can prevent this. If patients have a surgery that involves a ligament replacement, their body may reject the new ligament, requiring further surgeries to remove the problematic tissue. Though rare, certain types of ligament repair surgeries can increase an individual's risk of developing heterotopic ossification. This is an unusual condition where bone tissue grows at a rapid rate, causing very painful jagged joints.
Recovery From Knee Dislocation Surgery
One of the most important components of knee dislocation surgery is the recovery. What patients do during their recovery from knee dislocation surgery greatly impacts the outcome. The first part of surgery recovery will take place in the hospital. On average, patients recovering spend about twenty-four hours in the hospital. During this time, they will be on a lot of pain medications, and they may be hooked up to a continuous passive motion machine that bends their knee to keep scar tissue and stiffness from developing. As patients recover, they may want to take pain medication or ice the knee to prevent pain. They should also plan on avoiding any physical activity for at least six weeks and being off work for a few weeks as well. Patients will need to carefully follow all instructions about rehabilitation. Most patients recovering from knee dislocation surgery will have a physical therapist who takes them through strengthening and flexibility exercises.