Relieve Ongoing Pain and Regain Your Mobility for a Restored Quality of Life.

A knee replacement is a common and safe procedure, although not without risks. That said, complications rarely occur with most patients who have undergone knee replacement surgery.

According to majority of reports and studies, knee replacements can last between 15-20 years. Should the knee implants need to be replaced, a revision knee surgery may then be necessary.

While studies have shown that majority of patients are able to recover and resume daily activities without any complications, knee revision surgery may be necessary in some of these scenarios:

1. People experiencing infection of knee implants, resulting in pain, instability and swelling of the joint. 
2. Loosening of the joint due to the bone failing to grow around the part of the knee with the knee implant.
3. Sustaining an injury, dislocation or fracture.
4. Needing knee implants replaced due to wear and tear, which is usually the case for patients who have had surgery done at a younger age; Noting that the lifespan of knee replacement can go up to 15-20 years.

Yes; Knee implants comes in various materials other than metal, such as ceramic and plastic.

It's worth noting that as with any surgery, materials used in surgical implants has to be biocompatible and not toxic or harmful to living tissue.

That said, you should always inform your doctor of any pre-existing allergies that you may have.

If you have decided to have a knee replacement surgery, your doctor will discuss anaesthesia options and run various tests to determine whether you have any other medical conditions that need to be optimised.

Some instructions you may expect from your doctor to ensure a smooth operation and recovery :

• To stop taking of blood-thinning medications.
• This may also include other medications or supplements that you are already on.
• You would be expected to cut back and eventually stop consumption of alcohol and smoking pre-surgery.
• You will be instructed to fast (except drinking of plain water) a number of hours before surgery.

The patient is first given anesthesia (either general or spinal). After the anesthesia has taken effect, the skin around the knee is thoroughly scrubbed with an antiseptic fluid.

The knee is bent about 90 degrees and the lower portion of the leg, including the foot, is placed in a special device to securely hold it in place during the surgery.

Usually, a tourniquet is then applied to the upper portion of the leg to help slow the flow of blood during the surgery. An incision of appropriate size will then be made and the following steps will take place:

• Preparing the bone – The damaged cartilage surfaces at the ends of the femur and tibia are removed along with a small amount of underlying bone.
• Positioning the implants – The removed cartilage and bone are replaced with implants that recreate the surface of the joint. These metal parts may be cemented or “press-fit” into the bone.
• Resurfacing the patella – The undersurface of the patella (kneecap) is cut and resurfaced with a plastic button. Some surgeons do not resurface the patella, depending upon the case. Do discuss this with your surgeon if it is important to you.
• Insertion of spacer – A medical-grade plastic spacer is inserted between the metal components to create a smooth gliding surface and locked in place.

The cost of undergoing a knee replacement in private hospitals can range from $19,000 to $30,000+ SGD. You may finance and subsidise the cost through the use of Medisave and insurance.

This cost includes and varies based on some of these factors:

• Surgeon fees
• Partial or total knee replacement
• Anaesthetist fees
• Operation facility
• Type of implant
• Hospital stay

At Hip & Knee Orthopaedics, we adhere to the Ministry of Health Singapore fee benchmarks.

Our doctors are Double Fellowship Trained surgeons specialising in the treatment of complex hip and knee conditions. Our doctors also specialise in minimally-invasive procedures, allowing for reduced risk of complications, reduced post-operative pain and an earlier return to function.