The 'golden' solution to restore mobility for people with knee osteoarthritis

Many patients "escape" the risk of disability

Mr. NVT (72 years old, in Vinh City, Nghe An) has had pain in his right knee, especially at night, for many years now. The disease has prevented him from walking normally and he has to rely on the help of his children and grandchildren, causing many inconveniences in his daily life. Although he has been treated in many places, the symptoms of the disease have not improved much. In the past 3 months, the pain has increased, making it very difficult for him to walk and move.

Nghe An Trauma and Orthopedics Hospital pioneers in implementing artificial knee replacement technique. Photo: PV

Introduced by an acquaintance, Mr. T. went to Nghe An Trauma and Orthopedics Hospital for examination. Here, after performing examination, testing, and imaging diagnosis, Mr. T. was diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the right knee and was prescribed a total knee replacement. The surgery was successfully performed by the surgical team of Dr. Nguyen Hoai Nam - Director of the Hospital and his colleagues.

Seven weeks after surgery, Mr. T. recovered well, no more pain symptoms, walked easily, and had good knee function. Mr. T. happily shared:“After receiving knee replacement surgery and attentive care from doctors at Nghe An Trauma and Orthopedics Hospital, I have now been cured of my long-term illness. I am very happy and grateful to the doctors because now I can walk and do daily activities easily, without having to bother my children and grandchildren anymore.”

Similar to Mr. T.'s case, after a period of living with knee pain that affected her daily activities, joy was evident on the face of Ms. D.TN (64 years old, in Nam Dan - Nghe An) because her knee pain was gone and she could walk easily after having her entire right knee replaced.

As a pioneer in Nghe An to implement artificial knee replacement techniques since 2014, each year, Nghe An Trauma and Orthopedics Hospital successfully treats hundreds of patients with knee osteoarthritis; helping them end pain, restore their ability to work and improve their quality of life.

When is knee replacement surgery needed?

The knee joint plays an important role in human life activities, "carrying" the entire body and moving the most, so it is very susceptible to degeneration. There are many causes of knee osteoarthritis such as: old age, arthritis, trauma, metabolic disorders, endocrine, obesity, strenuous exercise, unscientific diet... Elderly people, women aged 55 and over are at high risk of knee osteoarthritis.

Every year, Nghe An Trauma and Orthopedics Hospital successfully treats hundreds of patients with knee osteoarthritis. Photo: PV

Knee replacement surgery is a surgical intervention with the purpose of removing the damaged joint and replacing it with an artificial joint that can help the patient restore the inherent mobility of the knee joint, while also restoring the function of soft tissue, ligaments or muscles around the knee joint.

According to Dr. Nguyen Hoai Nam - Director of the Hospital, knee replacement surgery is the last option considered for people with osteoarthritis or other bone and joint diseases that cause serious damage to the knee joint. Specialists will prescribe knee replacement in some specific cases such as: Patients have been treated with internal medicine for more than 2 months but the disease has not progressed; the two ends of the bone show signs of damage, causing very severe pain; the phenomenon of knee stiffness continuously occurs, making it very difficult for the patient to move and more seriously, completely losing the ability to move...

Knee osteoarthritis is a disease that progresses silently, so few people detect it in time. Knee osteoarthritis causes prolonged pain, deforms the knee joint, reduces daily activities, and affects the quality of life. If not treated completely, the disease will progress severely and cause dangerous complications such as muscle atrophy, recurrent joint effusion, loss of mobility, and even disability. For the above cases, knee replacement is the only option to help patients regain mobility.

Strengthening international cooperation in knee replacement surgery

At Nghe An Trauma and Orthopedics Hospital, total knee replacement surgery is widely applied to patients with severe, long-term knee osteoarthritis. This is a high-tech, modern technique at the central level, performed by a team of experienced, well-trained specialists. Mastering surgical techniques as well as good post-operative rehabilitation contributes to improving the effectiveness of knee replacement surgery; building trust for patients and their families when deciding to have surgery at Nghe An Trauma and Orthopedics Hospital.

The hospital organized a scientific seminar to update new treatment methods and improve professional knowledge for doctors and nurses. Photo: PV

In order to update new knowledge about total knee replacement from advanced medicine, in recent times, Nghe An Trauma and Orthopedics Hospital has regularly coordinated with leading experts and upper-level hospitals to improve professional knowledge for medical staff and doctors, and at the same time update new treatment methods.

Recently, the Hospital organized a scientific workshop "Updating knowledge on total knee replacement", with examination, demonstration surgery and experience exchange by Professor Lebel from Chu De Lile University Hospital (France). At the workshop, Professor Lebel updated new knowledge and shared experiences on total knee replacement surgery as well as experiences on rehabilitation for patients with stiff knees after surgery and treatment of secondary infections after knee replacement surgery.

Professor Lebel from Chu De Lile University Hospital - France demonstrated surgery and exchanged experiences with doctors and nurses at Nghe An Trauma and Orthopedics Hospital. Photo: PV

With the goal of integrating and mastering advanced techniques in the world, since its establishment, the Hospital has always focused on developing international cooperation activities. The Hospital regularly organizes scientific seminars with the participation of leading professors in the field of trauma and orthopedics, and sends doctors to attend short-term training courses abroad to improve their professional knowledge. In addition, the Hospital also regularly consults online with leading experts when encountering complex cases, to find the best treatment method for patients.

With its relentless efforts, Nghe An Trauma and Orthopedics Hospital has always been one of the pioneers in applying the most advanced techniques in the field of trauma and orthopedics to diagnose and treat patients; in order to minimize the rate of referrals and save treatment costs for people with musculoskeletal diseases.

Dinh Nguyet - Dau Huyen