As we’ve mentioned before, knee joint replacement surgery is not all fun and games, nor is it a means to an end. Knee joint replacement surgeries are both costly in terms of time and money, and take a massive physical toll on the body. While sometimes implants and surgical interventions are necessary to keep a person alive, are more natural route can be taken when it comes to joint replacements. Is it really an attractive idea to have a hunk of metal and plastic popped into your joint socket? One thought process with knee joint replacement surgery is that once the procedure is completed, that’s the end of it. However, that notion is far from true. Truthfully, a joint replacement surgery is just the beginning to a very long, painful, and annoying journey. A big part of this arduous venture, is the very real possibility of a post-surgical infection.
Infection & Mortality Rates of Knee Joint Replacement Surgery
Infection after a knee joint replacement surgery can be very serious, even deadly. In a 2015 study, infection rates and mortality rates were shown to be much higher in adults who are 75-80 years old than their younger counterparts. Not only that, but knee function began to deteriorate between 3-5 years in ages over 75, while patients under 75 only maintained proper knee function at 5 years, thus prompting another eventual round of knee joint replacement surgery.
A 2013 study also found this to be true, as it states that “the mortality rate among patients over the age of 65 years who were awaiting a surgical procedure for treating TKA infection has ranged from 0.4% to 1.2%, and between 2% and 7% among patients aged over 80 years.11 ” This means that, unfortunately, infection rates have been rising in patients receiving a total knee replacement. Although 1.2% and 7% may seem like small numbers, realize that over 500,000 (it’s closer estimated to 700,000) people a year in the United States have knee joint replacement surgery.
Although it may seem intuitive to stay at the hospital for the best care possible, hospitals do have infection rates, and unfortunately that can increase a patient’s chance of developing an infection. “It’s incredibly costly, difficult to diagnose, and difficult to treat,” says Dr. Joel Buchalter states. “[It] usually requires multiple operations.”
Dr. Buchalter brings up another important point in terms of total surgical cost. In addition to the initial knee joint replacement surgery’s cost, “the mean cost of treating TKA infections has been estimated as 50,000 dollars per patient and 250 million dollars per year, in the United States.” In that case, a patient may technically have to pay for two major knee surgeries in a short period of time. Doctors may even have to totally remove and replace the implant. Not only is that a lot the patient’s wallet, but it’s incredibly harsh on his/her body, too.
Is There An Alternative to Knee Joint Replacement Surgery? Yes.
Regeneris Medical provides those who suffer from knee pain and osteoarthritis of the knee with the option of utilizing his or her own body to regenerate the surrounding tissues of joints. We harvest two of the body’s healing elements–platelet-rich plasma and adipose(fat)-derived stem cells–exploit their growth factors, and administer them back into degenerating joints. This minimally invasive procedure has virtually no infection risks, as it is not major surgery and all materials introduced into the body are derived from you.
Contact Us
If you are suffering from knee pain, call 1-855-734-3678 or e-mail [email protected] to find out more information, and to schedule a consultation in which our doctors will create a personalized treatment plan that will work best for your condition.