. Mr. Fergus Paterson is a consultant orthopaedic surgeon with a special interest in disorders of the knee joint Profile & CV Why Mister, not Doctor? Private Consulting Rooms _____ The Bupa Cromwell Hospital Cromwell Road London SW5 0TU (Map) Secretary email: drfawzia@pamrpaterson .wanadoo.co.uk Tel: +44 (0)20 7460 2000 Sec: +44 (0)7765 833 567 App: +44 (0)20 7460 5700 Fax: +44 (0)20 7460 5709 _____ The Lister Hospital Chelsea Bridge Road London SW1W 8RH (Map) Secretary email: drfawzia@pamrpaterson .wanadoo.co.uk App: + 44 (0)20 7730 8298 Fax: + 44 (0)20 7259 9218 ______ © Fergus Paterson 2003/4/5
. . During surgery for knee replacement . Lower End of Arthritic Femur Showing Eroded Joint Surface After Knee Replacement Knee Replacement from Above	Wear and tear changes are bound to develop in all weight-bearing joints as part of the ageing process but they can be accelerated by previous injury, for example a fracture involving the joint surface. When such changes become clinically significant the condition is called osteoarthritis (OA). In the knee OA causes recurrent bouts of pain and swelling leading eventually to a degree of permanent disability which may seriously affect walking. Treatment in the early stages will probably be a mixture of tablets (e.g. Brufen or Voltarol.) supplemented where necessary by physiotherapy. If these simple measures fail to bring relief then an arthroscopic washout may be helpful for a limited period. End-stage OA can only be treated effectively by joint replacement surgery known as total knee replacement (TKR)(see photographs left). As I have already mentioned there are partial knee replacements avaliable though these are only appropriate for selected cases. In the U.K. alone approximately 30,000 total knee replacements are performed each year, with a success rate of well over 90%. Patients undergoing TKR will spend about 10 days in hospital - most of which is for physiotherapy - and at the end of this time be able to return home and cope independently. Confidence with walking will continue to improve over the next few weeks and driving a car should be possible a month from the operation. A round of golf may take a little longer ! (see question and answer section). A successful knee replacement should give good service for at least ten years. If it should fail for any reason the it can usually be done again.
	Home | Top | Contents | Contact