Knee Replacement

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Is your “bum” knee bumming you out more and more each day?

Knee stiffness and pain from wear and tear, an old injury or another condition can make you feel miserable. You just can’t do what you used to — like go on a hike or stand to make dinner. But you don’t have to move through life with bad knees.

When you aren’t getting the relief you need, it might be time to consider a total knee replacement. If this feels like the right time for surgery, we can help. Cleveland Clinic’s knee replacement surgery and rehabilitation specialists can improve your how your knee works and moves and lessen your pain.

Why Choose Cleveland Clinic for a Knee Replacement?

Specialized knowledge:

We do thousands of knee replacements every year, which helps us find the best, most effective ways to get great results. Our surgeons are always researching the best ways to do knee replacements. We focus on faster recoveries, fewer complications and shorter hospital stays.

Industry leaders:

Our surgeons use robotic-assisted surgery and offer several different implant options. These technological advances help us provide the best knee for you and sometimes lead to a faster recovery. Meet our team.

Collaborative care:

Cleveland Clinic has every specialist you might need to get ready for surgery. Whether you need a dietitian, physical therapist, cardiologist, endocrinologist or someone to help you stop smoking, we’ll team up to make sure you’re prepared for your knee replacement.

National recognition:

Cleveland Clinic is a trusted healthcare leader. We're recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for our expertise and care.

Virtual visits:

We know it might be hard to get around for a while after your knee replacement. So, for some follow-up appointments, we can also schedule virtual visits. This way, you can stay comfortable at home while meeting with your providers one-on-one using your smartphone, tablet or computer.

Knee Replacement Diagnosis at Cleveland Clinic

During your first visit, your providers will ask you to share your medical history and describe your symptoms. They’ll want to know how bad your symptoms are, how long you’ve had them, what makes them better or worse and how they affect your daily life. Starting with a conversation helps them get to know you and talk to you about the decision to have surgery.

Your providers will then take a look at your knee to see how well it moves and how strong it is. They'll also order X-rays or an MRI to get a better idea of what the damage looks like from the inside.

If osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, an old injury or another condition has seriously damaged your knee joint, surgery can ease pain and improve how your knee works. Our experts will let you know if surgery is the answer.

Meet Our Total Knee Replacement Team

Our team of expert providers specialize in knee replacement surgery. They know what it takes to decide if you need surgery and then help you prepare and recover from it. Your care team could include:

Orthopaedic surgeons (fellowship-trained in knee replacement).
Anesthesiologists.
Physical therapists.
Nurse practitioners.
Physician assistants.

Providers Who Perform Total Knee Replacements

Locations

Our healthcare providers see patients at convenient locations throughout Northeast Ohio, Florida and London.

Getting Ready for Knee Replacement Surgery at Cleveland Clinic

There are several things we’ll do to prepare you for knee replacement surgery.

First, we’ll figure out if you’re at risk for any complications or if you’ll need any special care after surgery.
Then, we’ll give you a physical exam, blood tests and an electrocardiogram (EKG) to make sure your heart is strong enough for surgery. We might also do a dental exam to lessen infection risks from surgery.
We might also talk with you about ways to improve your health before surgery — like lowering your blood pressure or blood sugar levels, quitting smoking, eating healthier and maintaining a healthy weight for you.
If we think you might need extra care after surgery, we might recommend rehabilitation in a short-term nursing facility. In most cases, you will recover at home with a support system around you.
We’ll give you tips on how to manage your recovery at home — like making your home safe, managing pain, getting help with cooking, shopping, bathing and household tasks, caring for your incision (cut) and identifying signs of infection.

Before surgery, our team will also explain important parts of your surgery, like:

Anesthesia options, like nerve blocks, which can keep you from being fully sedated.
Injections during surgery that help control pain after surgery.
Tranexamic acid to reduce bleeding and the need for blood transfusions.

During all of this, we’ll be on the lookout for anything that might affect your surgery and recovery.

Total Knee Replacement Surgery at Cleveland Clinic

Our surgeons do total knee replacements using the newest techniques so you get the best results possible. Here’s what to expect:

Your surgeon will make an incision in your knee area and take out the damaged cartilage and bone.
Then they’ll put the knee implant in and make sure it’s in the right position.
Next, depending on how healthy your bone is and how active you are, they’ll either use cement or no cement to hold the implant in place. Cement lets the bone grow into the implant itself.
Then, they’ll insert a piece of plastic (polyethylene) to help the metal parts of the implant glide together smoothly.
Finally, your surgeon will close the incision.

Recovering From Knee Replacement Surgery at Cleveland Clinic

After knee replacement surgery, our team will work with you to make sure you’re able to move often and get your knee working again.

We’ll also make sure you can manage your pain with over-the-counter (OTC) nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like Advil^® or Aleve^® or acetaminophen, like Tylenol^®. To avoid blood clots, you might also have to take blood thinners or wear a compression bandage or special support hose for a short time.

Once you leave the hospital, we’ll send health aides to your home several times a week during your first few weeks of recovery. They’ll make sure you’re applying ice and moving your joint. And they’ll make sure that your incision is healing well and that your pain is controlled.

We’ll also send you frequent reminders to keep you on track. And if you have a smartwatch, you can use it to track your activity level. You can also send us photos of your incision if you ever have concerns about healing. All of this can help you avoid needing an extra trip in to see us.

Our physical therapists can help you build strength and improve your range of motion after surgery with knee replacement post-op exercises. At first, we’ll come to see you in your home — and then you’ll come see us at one of our convenient locations. We’ll track your results and make sure your recovery is going well so you can return to the lifestyle you had before chronic knee pain sidelined you.

Taking the Next Step

An aching, stiff knee can get in the way of everyday things, like going up and down the steps — and fun things, like running around the backyard with your children or grandchildren. But you don’t have to live with the pain. Knee replacement surgery at Cleveland Clinic can help you regain control of your knee and your life with as little pain as possible, so you can get back to being on the move.