In the U.S., an estimated twenty percent of baby boomers will develop some form of osteoarthritis. When it develops on the knee as we age, the cartilage and menisci become stiffer and less flexible and becomes prone to even the slightest injury.
Last spring, sixty-six-year-old Valerie Ward of Redding went on a regular three-mile walk with a friend when suddenly something happened within her right knee and she was unable to continue. A highly-motived media sales account executive for Cablevision, Ward rested her knee for a few days, however, the swelling and stiffness made it painful to walk or sleep comfortably so she made an appointment with an orthopedic specialist.
“Upon meeting Dr. Gupta, I felt very much at ease,” said Ward. “I left reassured because he was 95 percent confident that I would be eligible for a minimally-invasive robot-assisted MAKOplasty partial knee replacement procedure instead of total knee replacement surgery.”
Also pations should not forget about thrombophlebitis, which can occur after any operation. It is more likely to occur following surgery on the hip, pelvis, or knee. DVT occurs when the blood in the large veins of the leg form as clots within the veins. This may cause the leg to swell and become warm to the touch and painful. If the blood clots in the veins break apart they can travel into the lung. Once in the lung they can get lodged in the capillaries of the lung and cut off the blood supply to a portion of the lung. This is called a pulmonary embolism. There are many ways to reduce the risk of DVT, but probably the most effective is getting the patient moving around as soon as possible. But be very careful with blood thining drugs. Read more about cases like xarelto mdl.