Total Knee Replacement Surgery

Overview

• Total knee replacement surgery involves replacing a painful or non-functional knee with artificial components.
• Recommended for knees severely damaged by arthritis or injury.

Anatomy Involved

• Knee Joint Components:
  • Femur (lower end)
  • Tibia (upper end)
  • Patella (kneecap)
  • Femoral Condyle (groove for patella)

Surgical Procedure

1. Initial Steps

   • The surgeon makes an incision along the front edge of the knee.
   • Muscles and ligaments around the knee are separated.
   • The knee capsule is incised to access the joint.

2. Removal of Damaged Parts

   • Specialized tools are used to remove damaged bone and cartilage:
     • Ends of the femur and tibia.
     • Often the underside of the patella is also removed.

3. Preparation for Prosthetic Knee

   • Remaining bone is prepared to receive new prosthetic components:
     • Femoral component
     • Tibial component
     • Patellar component

4. Placement of Prosthesis

   • New prosthetics are cemented into position.
   • An x-ray is taken to ensure correct positioning of the components.

5. Closure

   • Incision is closed with stitches or staples.
   • A drain may be temporarily left in place to remove excess fluid.

Post-surgical Considerations

• Monitoring for correct placement via x-ray.
• Managing drainage of excess fluid.

These notes summarize the key points and process of a total knee replacement surgery as described in the lecture. Use this as a guide for understanding the steps and components involved in the procedure.