Knee Replacement

Knee replacement, also called arthroplasty, is a surgical procedure that replaces parts of injured or worn-out knee joints. During the procedure, damaged bone and cartilage are replaced with metal and plastic parts to ease pain and improve knee function.

At Kimball Health Services, we provide state-of-the-art knee replacement surgery. Our team of Dr. Jeffery MacMillan and Karen Wenner, APRN, DNP, understand how knee pain can affect day-to-day activities. Our advanced knee replacement surgery is focused on alleviating your knee pain to help improve mobility and quality of life.

Anatomy of the Knee

Your knee consists of two long leg bones held together by muscles, ligaments, and tendons.

The knee consists of the following parts:

Tibia is the largest bone of the lower leg.
Femur is the thigh bone or the upper leg bone.
Patella is the kneecap.
Quadriceps muscles are located on the front of the thighs and help to straighten the legs.
Hamstring muscles are located on the back of the thighs and help bend the leg at the knee.
Cartilage is the tissue that covers the surface of a bone at a joint.
Synovial membrane is the tissue that lines the joint and seals it into a joint capsule.
Ligament is the connective tissue around the joint to give support and limits the joint's movement.
Tendon connects muscles to bones and helps to control joint movement.
Meniscus is the curved part of the cartilage that acts as a shock absorber, increases the contact area, and deepens the knee joint.

Damage to any part of the knee may require knee replacement surgery.

Reasons for Knee Replacement

You may need knee replacement surgery when you have trouble walking, climbing stairs, or getting up from chairs. Dr. MacMillan may recommend knee replacement surgery if you have symptoms such as:

Joint pain
Stiffness
Trouble moving your knee
Swelling
Inflammation

Common conditions that may necessitate knee replacement surgery include:

Arthritis: Arthritis of the knee joint is a severe and painful condition that causes pain, swelling, and stiffness in your joints and gets worse with age.
Osteoarthritis: Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis that is caused when the cartilage gets worn down or damaged, resulting in your bones rubbing against each other.
Rheumatoid arthritis: Rheumatoid arthritis is a type of arthritis in which your immune system attacks the tissue lining the knee joints, causing uncontrolled inflammation.
Bone fracture: The bones in your knee may fracture during an accident, fall, or sports injury.
Deformities: People with bowed legs often have surgery to restore the position of the knee.

Knee replacement may be an effective treatment when the pain in your knee does not respond to other medical treatments, such as anti-inflammatory or pain medications, physical therapy, cortisone injections, and assistive devices for walking.

Types of Knee Replacement

Based on factors such as your age, overall health, and severity of joint damage, the doctor may recommend the following types of knee replacement:

Total knee replacement. In this type of surgery, both the surfaces of the thigh bone and shin bone that connect to the knee are replaced.
Partial knee replacement. This surgery is performed when only one side of the knee is affected. However, it requires strong knee ligaments and normal cartilage.
Patellofemoral replacement. This procedure replaces only the undersurface of the kneecap and the groove in which the knee sits. It may be effective for people with chronic kneecap arthritis.
Complex (or revision) knee replacement. This procedure may be needed for severe arthritis or to replace implants of previous knee replacement surgeries.
Cartilage restoration: This procedure involves treating the affected area with a living cartilage graft or cells that grow into cartilage.

What to Expect During Knee Replacement

Knee implants are expected to last at least 15 to 20 years. The type of artificial joints and the surgical procedure depend on your age, weight, knee size and shape, activity level, and overall health.

Before the Procedure

Before we decide on a knee replacement procedure, we will check your medical history and perform physical exams and imaging tests. You may be asked to stop eating and drinking after midnight on the day of your surgery.

On the day of surgery, you will receive anesthesia. It will be either general, which puts you into a sleep-like state, or below-the-waist, which numbs the lower half of your body. You may also receive a numbing medicine in and around the knee to help block pain after your surgery.

During the Procedure

Knee replacement usually takes around 1 to 2 hours. During the procedure, Dr. MacMillan makes an incision over the knee to remove diseased and damaged bone and cartilage, leaving healthy bone intact. He then implants the replacement parts into the thigh bone, shinbone, and kneecap. He may also reshape the kneecap to fit the new prosthetic knee joint if needed. Dr. MacMillan utilizes MicroPort Orthopedic products in his joint replacement surgeries.

After the Procedure

You will be taken to a recovery area for a few hours for observation. Dr. MacMillan will check that you wake up post-anesthesia without complications. The staff monitors your vital organs, pain or comfort level, and medication needs. You may go home on the same day or require a short stay at the hospital.

Preparing for Knee Replacement

Dr. MacMillan will inform you what you need to do to prepare for surgery. Consider the following tips before your procedure, which may help you recover quickly and safely.

Speak about which medications to avoid or continue.
Create a comfortable living space where you will spend time recovering.
Install safety bars or a handrail in your shower or bathroom.
Arrange for a toilet seat at a high level.
Get a chair with a firm cushion and a footstool to elevate your leg.
Arrange for rides for your surgery and follow-up visits.

Recovery & Physical Therapy

You can expect to resume your usual activities about six weeks after surgery. It may take you a year to recover fully after a knee replacement. Dr. MacMillan will provide you with a customized recovery plan that may include the following:

Icing your knee a few times a day
Elevating your knee
Taking pain medication
Keeping your incision clean and covered
Doing recommended home exercises

After the procedure, Dr. MacMillan may recommend physical therapy to help you move safely, including bending your knee and walking. Physical therapy may last for up to a few months after your surgery. In the meantime, contact us if you experience fever, redness, swelling, bleeding, or increased pain around the incision site.

Knee Replacement at Kimball Health Services

At Kimball Health Services, we perform knee replacement surgery with a patient-focused approach. Our team strives to help you regain mobility and alleviate pain to enjoy a better quality of life.

As one of the top critical access hospitals in the nation, we pride ourselves on delivering high-quality, patient-centered care.

In case of an emergency, call 911 or walk into our emergency department anytime. For appointments, call us at 308-235-1966 or fill out our online form. We're here for you whenever you need us.