Normal Anatomy
The knee joint is the largest joint in our body. Knee joint, which appears like a simple hinge joint, is one of the most complex joint.
It consists of the femur (thigh bone), tibia (shin bone) and patella (knee cap). It connects the thigh bone (femur) with the shin bone (tibia).
The bony surfaces within the joint are covered with articular cartilage, a smooth shiny white cushion and it is the damage to this surface, which causes arthritis. Knee joint is a synovial joint as it is lined by synovium membrane. The synovium membrane produces synovial fluid, which lubricates and nourishes the joint. Around the knee joint is soft tissue covering known as joint capsule and surrounding this are large ligaments, tendons and muscles. The joint capsule holds the bones in place and prevents dislocation.
A normal knee functions due to the bones are being held in place by the joint capsule and are allowed to move smoothly and freely due to the articular cartilage and synovial fluid.
As the knee joint bears enormous weight and pressure loads and provides us with flexibility in our movements, it is also vulnerable.
To give some examples of the loads placed on our knees:
- Our knees support 1.5 times our body weight when we walk
- Our knees support 3-4 times our body weight when climbing stairs
- Our knees support approx. 8 times our body weight when squatting
Knee Arthritis
Options for Knee Arthritis in Wollongong, Shellharbour, Nowra and Batemans Bay
Knee arthritis can be a frustrating and debilitating condition. If you suffer with knee arthritis, all you want is relief and answers. Dr Anil Goudar is an orthopaedic surgeon who specialises in knee arthritis treatments. He has helped numerous patients get on the road to better lifestyles and helped them to manage the symptoms of their condition. Depending on the severity of your case, there may be help out there when it comes to your knee arthritis.
What is knee arthritis?
Arthritis is a condition that causes inflammation of the joints. The symptoms of arthritis include pain, swelling, stiffness and deformity.
There are several different forms of arthritis including rheumatoid arthritis, but the most common type of arthritis of the knee is osteoarthritis (OA). OA is a degenerative “wear-and-tear” type of arthritis occurring as we age and is most commonly found in people over 50.
As well as the natural stresses placed on the knee joint add in our modern-day active lifestyles, increased weight and longer living, no wonder OA of the knee is now particularly common.
Arthritis in the knee can cause restrictions in our movements and impact on our ability to perform many everyday activities from walking to climbing stairs and if untreated, overtime arthritis of the knee can become a serious disability for many people.
As yet there is no magic bullet that will cure arthritis. However, lifestyle modifications including weight loss together with the use of current advancements in treatment options can help to manage pain.
Dr Anil Goudar also performs knee replacements including robotic assisted knee replacements.
Call us to discuss your options
If you and your GP have agreed you could do with treatment for your knee arthritis, choose Dr Anil Goudar as your trusted orthopaedic specialist. There may be the potential to improve your condition with us. Call us for more information on our procedures today.
Knee Arthroscopy
An arthroscopy is a "key hole" surgical technique
During a knee arthroscopy, a tiny camera (arthroscope) is inserted through a small incision inside your knee joint. This allows viewing the inside of your knee joint and identifying as well as correcting any problems by using small instruments.
Knee arthroscopy is used in the diagnosis and treatment of a number of knee problems including:
- Repair or resection of torn meniscus
- Removal of loose bodies
- Torn anterior or posterior cruciate ligaments
- Repair of ligaments of the joint
- Identifying fractures in the knee bones
- Identifying swollen synovium (the lining in the joint)
- Removal of pieces of torn cartilage
Knee arthroscopy has limited risks and data has shown good recovery and outcomes for most patients; however each individual’s recovery time and prognosis will vary.
ACL Reconstruction
ACL Knee Reconstruction in Wollongong, Shellharbour, Nowra and Batemans Bay
It can be difficult to find a reliable ACL reconstruction specialist when you need one, and sometimes you just don’t know where to turn. It can be a frustrating experience. Thankfully, there is help out there. Dr Anil Goudar is an orthopaedic surgeon who provides ACL reconstruction surgery. Dr Goudar works with all his patients with the goal of treating the knee injury to enable sports participation and prevent loss of active lifestyle.
What is the ACL reconstruction process?
The ACL reconstruction surgery utilises a graft (hamstring or patella tendon) most commonly taken from your own body and is placed in the site of ruptured ACL ligament to connect the knee bones. The ACL reconstruction surgery is performed arthroscopically, previously it used to be performed as an open surgery with big cuts. The benefits of arthroscopic surgery include quicker recovery, lesser complication and better visualization of internal knee structures. The surgery is then followed by physiotherapy to rehabilitate the knee.
Dr Goudar is a highly trained ACL reconstruction surgeon, providing surgical treatment option when other treatment options are no longer providing effective relief of symptoms of knee instability.
ACL reconstruction is when the ACL ligament is replaced with graft and is not a repair of torn ACL ligament. ACL reconstruction is an effective surgical procedure to restore patients back to their preinjury level of activities.
As well as knee reconstruction, Dr Goudar can also provide treatment options when it comes to knee arthritis or knee replacement.
Call to enquire about your ACL reconstruction options today
We care and understand when it comes to your ACL reconstruction. Call us to find out more information, or get a referral from your GP for a consultation with Dr Anil Goudar today.
Total Knee Replacement
Knee Replacement in Wollongong, Shellharbour, Nowra and Batemans Bay
Total knee replacements have become one of the most successful procedures in all of medicine, with the first knee replacement surgery performed in 1968.
Since that time, there have been many improvements made in surgical techniques as well as surgical materials that have greatly increased the outcomes of knee replacement surgery.
Knee replacement surgery is used when the knee has undergone severe damage – either by arthritis or injury. Damage to the knee can result in the loss to perform simple day to day activities including walking or climbing stairs and can even have an impact while sitting or lying down due to pain.
When non-surgical conservative methods of treatments including weight loss, physiotherapy, medications, injections and use of walking supports stop being of help, your doctor will suggest you that you consider total knee replacement surgery.
Total knee joint replacement surgery is safe and has been proven as an effective procedure to relieve pain as well as provide correction of leg deformity and assist you in the resumption of normal activities./p>
Who is suitable for total knee replacement surgery?
There is no guideline to determine the eligibility for the total knee replacement surgery and factors such as age, type or severity of arthritis and body weight does not impose any restrictions on suitability of the surgery.
Dr Goudar takes each individual person’s lifestyle into consideration before undertaking this surgery.
His recommendations for total knee replacement surgery will be based on a number of factors and will take into account each patient’s pain and disability level.
The majority of patients undergoing knee replacement surgery are aged between 50 to 80 years; however total knee replacements have been performed successfully on patients of all ages when identified as necessary including patients who are young teenagers with juvenile arthritis and elderly patients with degenerative arthritis.
Dr Goudar can also provide expertise in management of Knee arthritis and ACL injuries.
Call for more information today
If you need knee replacement surgery, call us for more information, and we can assist you in getting a referral from your GP.
Revision Knee Replacement
The term "revision knee replacement" is used to describe when the original or "primary" knee replacement has worn out or fails due to fracture, infection or other problems and needs to be replaced.
Revision knee replacement is much more complex than a primary knee replacement procedure as there is often scar tissue, lesser amount of bone available and dysfunctional ligaments needed for stability. Often additional bone and complex knee prosthesis are needed to perform revision knee replacement procedure.
Surgery for revision knee replacement is often done through the same incision as the primary knee replacement, will usually take longer than a primary procedure and statistics show a slightly higher complication rate. The artificial joint (prosthesis) may not last as long as the prosthesis in a primary knee replacement.