Knee surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic

Knees are some of the most important joints in the body, they are vital for everyday tasks like walking, climbing stairs and standing up, as well as exercising and playing sports. Unfortunately, this importance also makes them susceptible to complications and injuries. Mr Jeevan Chandrasenan, a leading consultant orthopaedic surgeon and knee specialist, answers some of the key questions regarding knee surgery, the most common treatment solution for serious knee problems.

Is knee surgery going ahead during the pandemic?

Yes, knee surgeries have been going ahead, but at a much-reduced rate. However, with the COVID-19 situation improving, we expect the number of surgeries being performed to gradually increase until we are back to normal capacity, hopefully in the 4 to 6 months.

What are the different types of knee surgery?

Some of the most common knee surgeries are:

• Knee preserving surgery – This includes more minor (comparatively) procedures like key hole surgery (arthrosocopy), cartilage surgery, osteotomies.
• Knee replacement surgery – Replacements can be partial or complete, depending on the needs of the patient and severity of arthritis.

When is a knee replacement definitely needed?

Knee replacement surgery is needed when you have bone on bone arthritis of one or more of the 3 compartments in the knee and the pain you experience is severe. Also, when other treatments like painkillers, physiotherapy and steroid injections no longer have any benefit.

How safe and effective are knee replacements?

It is a relatively safe procedure. Risks are always discussed in detail at the time you decide to go ahead with surgery. Risks like infection and blood clots are extremely rare and have an occurrence of 1 in every 100 to 200 cases. Risks of surgery can be higher in certain individuals such as diabetics or people who are overweight.

What are the latest advancements in knee surgeries?

One of the newest types of knee surgery is partial knee replacement, which is where only one of the 3 compartments of the knee are replaced rather than the whole knee. The advantages are that it is minimally invasive and often performed as a day-case procedure. Patients are usually more satisfied than they are with total knee replacements and there are fewer medical complications.

If you are experiencing knee problems and feel you need specialist consultation, Mr Chandrasenan is here to help. Visit his Top Doctors profile, where you’ll find his scheduling information for face-to-face appointments and e-consultations.