- Mt Elizabeth (Orchard) #06-05
- (65) 9088 4555
- Mt Elizabeth (Orchard) #06-05
- (65) 9088 4555
Potentially shorten your hospitalisation stay for total knee replacement surgeries, making them a day surgery. Through our specialised Enhanced Recovery After Surgery approach, most patients experience fast recovery, less pain and a smaller bill.
When individuals experience severe knee pain that significantly compromises their quality of life and disrupts sleep, orthopaedic surgeons may recommend total knee replacement surgery.
Those who require this surgery typically struggle with:
When non-surgical treatments like medication, physical therapy, and lifestyle modifications no longer effectively manage knee pain or mobility issues, total knee replacement may be considered as an option.
Firstly, to understand total knee replacement, it is essential to grasp the structure of the knee. The knee is a large, weighbearing joint. In a healthy joint, cartilage cushions the ends of the bones, facilitating smooth and painless movement.
However, individuals suffering from arthritis often undergo a breakdown of cartilage in their knees, resulting in bones rubbing against each other. Over time, this can lead to a narrowing of the joint space and the development of bone spurs or deformities. In severe cases, orthopaedic surgeons may recommend surgical procedures to replace damaged joint parts, either partially (partial knee replacement) or completely (total knee replacement). Usually, patients in the late stages of arthritis will be recommended to undergo total knee replacement, during which surgeons remove the entire knee joint and replace it with implants.
While total knee replacement has an initial recovery period spanning several weeks to months, opting for this procedure can significantly alleviate pain symptoms and enhance the patient’s quality of life. Fortunately, some surgeons specialise in an approach called Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) for this procedure.
Besides employing a specialised surgical technique to minimise physical trauma, orthopaedic specialists also leverage other methods to provide patients with holistic care that potentially speeds up recovery.
Unlike traditional surgeries, the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) approach is an evidence-based and multidisciplinary perioperative care pathway that aims to reduce surgical stress and promote rapid recovery for patients. The ERAS approach involves three main parts: before, during, and after surgery.
It starts with getting the patient in great shape before the operation. To assist in this process, orthopaedic surgeons can help by providing information and guidance beforehand.
Some of the key steps involved prior to surgery include:
Subsequently, in an ERAS approach, surgeons also employ minimally invasive surgical techniques during the operation for less tissue damage, reduced pain, and quicker recovery relative to traditional surgery. Consequently, it effectively reduces post-surgical discomfort and pain. After the surgery, a multifaceted postoperative programme will then be implemented to facilitate patient recovery.
Specifically, our orthopaedic surgeon will utilise the kinematic-alignment technique to restore the patient’s natural knee anatomy, minimising soft tissue damage and optimising joint mechanics.
1. An incision will be made to the knee
During the surgery, he will create an incision of about 10cm to 15 cm down the front of the knee instead of the 15cm to 25cm incision usually done during a traditional Total Knee Replacement surgery. The ERAS kinematic-alignment surgical technique is less invasive than Total Knee Replacement surgery. Hence, it typically results in a smaller scar, less pain and less tissue disturbance compared to conventional Total Knee Replacement.
2. The damaged parts will be replaced with a new joint
After the incision, the kneecap will be gently moved aside to access the knee joint with minimal disruption to surrounding tissues. The damaged ends of the shin bone and thigh bone are carefully removed, and replacement parts made of metal alloys and plastic are inserted over the bones to create the new joint.
3. The surgical wound will be closed
After repositioning the kneecap, the surgeon closes the incision using stitches and then applies a dressing and bandage over it.
After an ERAS total knee replacement, our experienced Orthopaedic team will carry out postoperative care.
Immediately after surgery, care may include nurses monitoring the patient’s vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, respiration rate, temperature, and pain level), administering food/fluids through IV, and providing bowel care as necessary.
Afterwards, other important ERAS protocols will be followed, including active mobilisation (encouraging patients to start moving and engaging in physical therapy soon after surgery), early feeding with a high-protein diet, prevention of blood clots, and multimodal pain management, to speed up recovery and minimise complications beyond traditional care.
At Alps Orthopaedic Centre, patients suitable for our ERAS programme can opt for a day surgery. We aim to enable patients to go back to activities that they love by minimising the recovery period.
After the ERAS Total Knee Replacement surgery, your orthopaedic surgeon will recommend physiotherapy and wound care options to regain strength, flexibility, and stability in the operated knee and aid in a swift return to normal activity. At times, he may also suggest a walking aid to help during the recovery process. Attending a structured rehabilitation programme supervised by healthcare professionals is recommended.
Overall, a patient can expect to walk with aid on the same evening of the surgery. However, take note that each patient’s recovery from knee replacement surgery varies based on factors like age, physical health, and the extent of joint damage.
For individuals experiencing severe knee pain, knee replacement surgery aims to alleviate chronic pain and offer the following benefits to patients:
In a study from the Journal of Orthopaedics labeled The Knee Enhanced Recovers After Day Surgery Total Knee Arthoplasty, the New Standard of Care, An Asian Perspective, 738 patients were put under observation, where 342 were ERAS Day Surgery patients and 396 were ERAS inpatient. 92.4% of patients in the Day Surgery group were successfully discharged within 24 hours, leading to a shorter mean Length of Stay (LOS) of 1.3 days as compared to 4.12 days in the inpatient group.
The study concluded that patients who received ERAS day surgery for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) experienced comparable enhancements in functional ability and quality of life to those undergoing ERAS inpatient TKA, without an elevated risk of complications.
As with any surgery where general or spinal anaesthesia is used, there’s a slight risk of strokes, heart attacks, pneumonia, and blood clots. One possible complication of knee replacement surgery is blood clot formation in the deep veins, known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
In addition, while knee replacement surgeries generally have low risks, there are potential rare risks associated with the procedure.
These risks include the possibility of:
Recognising the potential risks associated with this procedure underscores the importance of an ERAS approach and the necessity for specialised guidance from an orthopaedic surgeon throughout the preparation, the procedure, and recovery.
In general, most complications can be effectively managed. Even if complications arise post-surgery, success can still usually be achieved if pain relief and improved function are attained in the long term.
MBBS (S’pore), MRCSEd, MMed (Ortho), FRCSEd (Ortho)
Fellowship-trained Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon & Medical Director
At Alps Orthopaedic Centre, we specialise in Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS). Performed as a Day Surgery, the ERAS Direct Anterior Approach in Total Hip Replacement (THR) technique as well as ERAS Total Knee Replacement (TKR), reduces the average hospitalisation stay, utilising techniques which enable the patient to suffer from less pain and recover faster. We are an Orthopaedic clinic in Singapore, which specialises in ERAS and do our utmost to enable patients to return to everyday activities as early as possible.
Our Orthopaedic clinic provides specialised diagnosis and effective treatment of musculoskeletal problems, especially Day Surgery / Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) For Hip and Knee Surgery, Sports Injuries and Trauma Fractures. If you are considering hip or knee surgery or minimally invasive treatments, book an appointment with our experienced Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dr Jerry Chen, for a thorough assessment and treatment plan.
Our aim is to boost patient well-being, optimising every aspect of the surgical journey. By minimising the recovery period, patients are able to go back to activities that they love. The Alps team offers comprehensive financial counselling sessions to ensure our patients understand their options and make informed decisions regarding their treatment plans.
MBBS (S’pore), MRCSEd, MMed (Ortho), FRCSEd (Ortho)
Fellowship-trained Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon & Medical Director
At Alps Orthopaedic Centre, we specialise in Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS). Performed as a Day Surgery, the ERAS Direct Anterior Approach in Total Hip Replacement (THR) technique as well as ERAS Total Knee Replacement (TKR), reduces the average hospitalisation stay, utilising techniques which enable the patient to suffer from less pain and recover faster. We are an Orthopaedic clinic in Singapore, which specialises in ERAS and do our utmost to enable patients to return to everyday activities as early as possible.
Our Orthopaedic clinic provides specialised diagnosis and effective treatment of musculoskeletal problems, especially Day Surgery / Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) For Hip and Knee Surgery, Sports Injuries and Trauma Fractures. If you are considering hip or knee surgery or minimally invasive treatments, book an appointment with our experienced Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dr Jerry Chen, for a thorough assessment and treatment plan.
Our aim is to boost patient well-being, optimising every aspect of the surgical journey. By minimising the recovery period, patients are able to go back to activities that they love. The Alps team offers comprehensive financial counselling sessions to ensure our patients understand their options and make informed decisions regarding their treatment plans.
MBBS (S’pore), MRCSEd, MMed (Ortho), FRCSEd (Ortho)
Fellowship-trained Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon & Medical Director
At Alps Orthopaedic Centre, we specialise in Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS). Performed as a Day Surgery, the ERAS Direct Anterior Approach in Total Hip Replacement (THR) technique as well as ERAS Total Knee Replacement (TKR), reduces the average hospitalisation stay, utilising techniques which enable the patient to suffer from less pain and recover faster. We are an Orthopaedic clinic in Singapore, which specialises in ERAS and do our utmost to enable patients to return to everyday activities as early as possible.
Our Orthopaedic clinic provides specialised diagnosis and effective treatment of musculoskeletal problems, especially Day Surgery / Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) For Hip and Knee Surgery, Sports Injuries and Trauma Fractures. If you are considering hip or knee surgery or minimally invasive treatments, book an appointment with our experienced Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Dr Jerry Chen, for a thorough assessment and treatment plan.
Our aim is to boost patient well-being, optimising every aspect of the surgical journey. By minimising the recovery period, patients are able to go back to activities that they love. The Alps team offers comprehensive financial counselling sessions to ensure our patients understand their options and make informed decisions regarding their treatment plans.
