| Now it's time to talk about the actual procedure your doctor has recommended for you.
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On the day of your operation, you will be asked to put on a surgical gown. |
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You may receive a sedative by mouth ... |
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... and an intravenous line may be put in. |
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You will then be transferred to the operating table. |
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In the operating room, a nurse will begin preparation by shaving your leg. |
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The surgeon will then apply antiseptic solution to the skin ... |
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... and place a sterile drape around the operative site. |
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Next, the anesthesiologist will administer anesthesia by injection and using an inhalation mask. |
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After you are unconscious, |
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... your doctor will make a vertical incision in your leg above your knee. |
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Using retractors to pull back the skin, |
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... the surgeon will make a second incision in the muscle ... |
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... in order to expose the damaged knee joint. |
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Next, your doctor will remove the patella, or knee cap, |
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... and flex your leg to expose the surface of the joint. |
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Preparing the surface of the joint involves removing the damaged or diseased parts of the bone ... |
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... and then cutting and shaping the surface to allow the best fit possible for the artificial joint. |
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Once your doctor is satisfied with this preparation, the team will drill holes in the femur and tibia. |
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They will also prepare the inside surface of the knee cap, and then coat the bony surfaces with a special cement. |
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The metal pieces of the new joint are then installed on the tibia and femur, |
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... as well as the knee cap pad. |
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Finally, your doctor places a spacer on the tibia surface. |
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After a final check to make sure all components fit and that the leg can move freely, |
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... the muscle and other tissues are closed with sutures. |
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Following surgery, sterile dressings are applied. |
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To aid in healing, your knee may be stabilized with a brace and you will be encouraged to use crutches during the recovery process. |
