Knee Replacement in Turkey

Turkey has become a popular destination for medical tourism, particularly for knee replacement surgery, due to its combination of affordability, quality healthcare, and shorter wait times compared to many other countries replacement surgery, also known as knee arthroplasty, is a common procedure that replaces damaged or diseased knee joint with a prosthetic implant.

It’s a highly successful surgery that can dramatically improve your quality of life by relieving pain, increasing mobility, and restoring function to your knee.

Reasons for Knee Replacement

Osteoarthritis: The most common reason, characterized by progressive cartilage degeneration, causing pain, stiffness, and difficulty moving.
Rheumatoid arthritis: An autoimmune disease attacking the joints, leading to inflammation, pain, and damage.
Post-traumatic arthritis: Damage from injuries like fractures or ligament tears can eventually lead to arthritis.
Avascular necrosis: Inadequate blood supply to the bone can cause bone death and collapse, requiring joint replacement.
Types of Knee Replacement:
Total knee replacement: Both the femoral head (thighbone) and tibial plateau (shinbone) surfaces are replaced with prostheses.
Partial knee replacement: Only the damaged portion of the medial (inner) compartment is replaced, suitable for early-stage arthritis.

Types of Knee Replacement

Total knee replacement: Both the femoral head (thighbone) and tibial plateau (shinbone) surfaces are replaced with prosthetic components.
Partial knee replacement: Only the damaged portion of the medial (inner) compartment is replaced, suitable for early-stage arthritis with localized damage.

Procedure:

General anesthesia is administered for pain control and relaxation during the surgery.
An incision is made over the knee joint to access the underlying structures.
Damaged bone and cartilage are carefully removed using specialized instruments.
Prosthetic components are implanted, typically secured with cement or a special bone ingrowth fixation technique.
The incision is closed with stitches or staples.

Recovery:

Hospital stay: Initially 2-3 days, followed by outpatient rehabilitation.
Physical therapy: Crucial for regaining strength, flexibility, and range of motion in the new knee joint.
Full recovery: Takes several months, but significant improvement in pain and function is often noticed within weeks.

Benefits of Knee Replacement

Pain relief: Significantly reduces or eliminates knee pain, even at rest, allowing you to enjoy activities you may have had to avoid.
Improved mobility: Increases your ability to walk, climb stairs, and participate in daily activities and hobbies you cherish.
Enhanced quality of life: Regain independence, confidence, and the ability to do the things you love, leading to a more fulfilling life.