Surgical Treatments for Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis affects millions of individuals all over the world and is a significant public health burden in the Indian subcontinent too. Various studies show that over 22-39% of the Indian population suffers from osteoarthritis of differing severities and that it is the most common joint related condition that older folk face. Osteoarthritis is a chronic condition where the cartilage that helps bones move normally gets worn down, leading to bone rubbing on bone, causing severe pain, instability and stiffness. It can affect any joint and bone, but the weight bearing ones or the ones that are often used like the wrists get affected the most. 

When To Consider Surgery For Osteoarthritis?

Surgery is never the first choice of treatment. Your doctor will prescribe pain killers, physiotherapy and the use of alternative therapies- all of which can provide measure if done in the right way. But, if none of them work and the pain just makes your life miserable and routine insufferable, then it is time to go in for a chat about getting joint replacement surgery done. If there is severe joint damage, then persisting with non-surgical treatments may prove to be a fruitless endeavour. At such a time, joint replacement or preserving surgery may be suggested. 

Types Of Surgery For Osteoarthritis

There are 4 main kinds of surgery that are possible. They are-

• Arthroplasty or joint replacement surgery: In this method, the diseased or damaged bone and joint are removed and an artificial implant is put in. The implant may be made of ceramic, plastic or metal and when done at the right time, can greatly help improve mobility of the joint and reduce pain significantly. 

• Joint fusion surgery: The two ends of a bone are joined together using pins, plates, screws or rods – and once this heals, it becomes one, usable bone. This approach is common if there are joint issues in the spine, foot or the hand. But, you will not be as flexible as before and you may compensate in different ways to move around- which may place more stress than usual in the surrounding joints. 

• Osteotomy: This approach is preferred if there is slight misalignment in the hip joint for example. A part of the affected bone is surgically removed and then added as a wedge near the damaged joint. This can help reduce instability and improve weight bearing capabilities of the joint. 

• Revision surgery if you have had surgery done before: Artificial joints can work really well for about 15-20 years, but they cannot function normally forever. So, if you have had to get a replacement surgery done when you were young, then you may need to get revision surgery 15-20 years down the line. 

Minimally Invasive Osteoarthritis Surgery:

Newer advances in the field have shown that there is no need for open joint surgery always. Minimally invasive methods may also work just as fine, so let us look at some available options below:

• Genicular Nerve Ablation: Pain is a sensation felt by a nerve that is transmitted to the brain. So, the logic here is- get rid of the nerve and the pain signals won’t have any place to go to. In this approach, probes are inserted at the knee joint, near where the genicular nerves are found and ablating or destroying them. 
• Genicular Artery Embolisation: In this technique, the blood vessels that are causing the inflammation or pain in the joint are systematically destroyed using a catheter- resulting in lesser blood flow than before. 
• Total knee replacement: A minimally invasive technique where much smaller incisions are used to insert specialised instruments and remove diseased or damaged bone and joint components, after which a prosthetic will be implanted in place. Tissue damage is much lower and you will heal faster too. But, this is still a major surgery and hence, you will need to follow all pointers with respect to physiotherapy and pain medication usage, as suggested by your doctor. 

At SBJI, we offer various modes of treatment for osteoarthritis which may involve surgery or don’t. The choice to get surgery done is dependent on what your future expectations will be, the severity of your conditions and focusing on recovery is as important as getting the procedure itself done. So, talk to our specialists today- if your aim is to preserve joint function and live better tomorrow!