Knee Replacement Surgery in Portland, OR
By Sports Medicine Oregon
The knee is a weight-bearing joint commonly affected by osteoarthritis, a degenerative condition that wears down bones and their protective cartilage. This condition causes significant pain and limited mobility, often causing patients distress and a reduced quality of life. Patients affected by knee osteoarthritis may find simple tasks, such as getting up from a chair, bending down to pick up a newspaper, or climbing the stairs, excessively difficult and painful. For patients suffering from severe osteoarthritis of the knee, knee replacement surgery has been shown to have potential long-term benefits that result in restoration of joint function and pain relief.
Anatomy of the Knee
The knee is comprised of three main bones: the femur, or thighbone, the tibia, or shinbone, and the patella, or kneecap. The femur and tibia meet to form a hinge-like joint, secured by ligaments that attach the two bones to one another. Cartilage, known as the menisci, rests between the bones and helps prevent friction from wearing down the knee during everyday use. The patella rests on top of the hinge joint, providing protection from trauma to the main joint.
Osteoarthritis of the Knee: A Degenerative Joint Condition
Because of its frequent use and weight-bearing nature, the knee and its components are especially prone to damage and natural degeneration. When the knee's components are damaged or affected by repetitive overuse injuries, such as a meniscal tear, the joint will begin to deteriorate more quickly, resulting in pain and joint dysfunction. This condition is known as osteoarthritis, a joint disease that wears down bone gradually.
Because osteoarthritis often occurs through natural degeneration, the condition is also known as "wear-and-tear arthritis". The condition is especially common in older individuals, whose protective cartilage has become brittle and can no longer shield the joint from friction. The result is a painful knee that inhibits daily activities and causes significant pain during movement.
Knee Replacement Surgery
For severe cases of osteoarthritis, knee replacement surgery has been shown to effectively restore range of motion and alleviate pain in the knee. Knee replacement surgery should only be considered after conservative approaches, such as activity modification, weight reduction, corticosteroid injections and NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) treatment, have failed to alleviate joint pain.
Knee replacement surgery involves the removal of a diseased knee joint and insertion of an orthopaedic implant, designed to imitate a natural knee's function and feel. During the operation, the knee surgeon will make an incision on the front of the knee. The patella is then displaced to reveal the knee joint. The orthopaedic surgeon removes the diseased knee by making cuts to the femur and tibia. The surgeon then fits the replacement joint in its place, attaching it to bone using cement or a bony ingrowth.
Knee replacement surgery may require rehabilitation or occupational therapy to restore strength to the surrounding muscles. Once the joint has healed sufficiently, the patient should be able to return to prior activities without the painful and debilitating symptoms of arthritis.
Knee Replacement Surgeons in Portland, OR
Sports Medicine Oregon, with three offices in the Portland area, employs a number of talented and experienced orthopaedic surgeons that are Board-certified and Fellowship-trained to provide world-class orthopaedic care. For more information about treating osteoarthritis and the potential benefits of knee replacement surgery, schedule an appointment with the physicians of Sports Medicine Oregon at the main campus in Tigard, OR, the Downtown Portland office, or the Wilsonville Clinic, located just west of Portland.
