Knee replacement generally not needed in osteoarthritis patients below 40, say doctors

'In severe arthritis or destruction of the knee in younger patients especially with rheumatoid arthritis, joint replacement is fairly successful and can you give quality of life for a number of years but they must be prepared for a revision surgery at a later date'

Photo for representation. — iStock

PTI

New Delhi, February 13

Knee replacement in osteoarthritis patients aged less than 40 is an overkill and can do more harm than good, doctors have warned and said instead of that cartilage regeneration surgeries can manage early degenerative changes.

Dr Shubham Joshi, Consultant-Orthopedic Surgeon, Paras Hospitals in Gurugram said that with orthopaedic surgeons getting advanced training and hospital infrastructure improving with time surgery results have improved drastically.

But there is nothing like preserving the natural cartilage, he said.

Dr Shubhang Aggarwal, Senior Joint Replacement Surgeon and Director, NHS Hospital in Jalandhar suggested that procedures like cartilage regeneration surgeries can manage early degenerative changes.

“The need for knee replacement surgery in young arthritic patients who have degenerative changes in one compartment of the knee joint is overemphasised although we do robotic surgery which gives a perfect alignment and ensures the implants last up to 30 years,” the doctor said.

Dr Joshi said pulling along with pain and swelling, hindering day-to-day activities and medications and frequent doctor visits, just for not replacing the joint is not recommended.

“In severe arthritis or destruction of the knee in younger patients especially with rheumatoid arthritis, joint replacement is fairly successful and can you give quality of life for a number of years but they must be prepared for a revision surgery at a later date,” the doctor said.

However, Dr Shuchin Bajaj, Founder and Director of the Ujala Cygnus Group of Hospitals said that if treated on time it can give almost natural cartilage growing and can avoid knee replacement surgery.

“Osteoarthritis in young people may be caused by surgical removal of an injured meniscusor injury to the articular cartilage and the bone under it, or insufficiency of the ligament.

“This disturbs the alignment of the knee by placing abnormal stresses on the cartilage of the affected compartment, thus causing pain and difficulty in walking,” the doctor added.