Are There Any Alternatives To Knee Surgery?

By Author: Youngrin Peter
Total Articles: 2
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In order to get rid this problem, orthopedics suggest arthroscopic surgery for osteoarthritis. But contrary to popular belief, such surgery may not have the desired effect and can prove to be a rather unnecessary procedure. The first reports were made in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2002, wherein it was stated that arthroscopic surgery was unnecessary, even if minimally invasive. The study met with a lot of criticism from orthopedic surgeons stating the methodology was flawed. Another research on the same lines was published recently in the same journal, with better study design and on a larger scale. This study reinstated the earlier proposition and stated that surgery offered no additional benefits for arthritic knee problem, although it is highly effective for meniscal repair and ligament re-construction.
Alternatives to surgery
It is important that surgeons consider alternative treatments rather than suggesting surgery as in many cases, total knee replacement is not required, for example, patients under 40 with severe pain only in one knee and over good health should be considered for alternative treatment ...
... rather than surgery. Here are a few alternatives to surgery:
Unispacer
This is a relatively new alternative to complete knee replacement surgery. A metallic disc is inserted in the knee joint which helps to relieve arthritic pain. It helps to set appropriate ligament tension and knee alignment. It is beneficial over knee replacement surgery as there is no need to cut the bone.
Braces
Knee braces are effective for those patients who have cartilage in their knees. The braces help to redirect pressure towards the good cartilage from the bad cartilage.
Osteotomy
This procedure is ideal for young patients with damage in just one area of the knee. In this procedure, a wedge of bone is either added or removed either in the tibia or the femur. This helps to shift the weight of the body away from the damaged portion of the knee.
Knee Cartilage Regeneration
It is also known as Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation (ACI) and requires two operations which are followed by a long recovery period along with physical therapy. First the healthy cartilage is taken from the knees and cultured which multiply within 6 weeks. A large incision is made and a layer of tissues is sewn over the damaged layer. Upon this area the healthy cells are injected which regenerate new cartilage. In this manner the damaged area is repaired.
Medication
Another alternative is the use of medication instead of surgery. There are a variety of non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, aspirin and naproxen which effective in pain relief, but also have certain side effects. Apart from these common medicines, there are certain stronger medicines such as Vioxx and Celebrex which require doctor’s prescription. Capsaicin cream derived from hot peppers is also utilized to alleviate knee pain.
Injections
Injections are less painful and provide relief from knee pain for nearly 6 months. There are 2 kinds of injections; the first one is derived from steroids in order to reduce the joint inflammation. The other one is a lubricating injection aimed at improving the lubrication, elasticity and motion of the joints. Steroidal injections are given 3 times in a year as every consecutive injection becomes less effective, whereas lubricating injections are administered one injection every week until 5 weeks.
Viscosupplementation
This procedure involves injecting hyaluronic acid, a substance that helps in lubrication and shock absorbing, into the knees. The procedure is relatively new and requires more in depth evaluation.
Nutritional Supplements
Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulphate are the two widely used dietary supplements for knee pain. These supplements work the best during the initial stages of osteoarthritis. They are easily available in the market, but their quality varies according to the brand, thus precaution is advised.

Apart from the above mentioned alternatives, patients should also modify their lifestyle and eating habits. Proper intake of nutritional food and maintaining a healthy body weight ensures relief from knee pains and osteoarthritis.

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Through his articles, markboucher wishes to inform and educate the readers about non surgical knee replacement
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