When arthritis reaches the stage where cartilage is gone — replacement is the answer that lasts.
For years, most patients manage with painkillers, knee braces, and physiotherapy. None of those slow the arthritis. Cartilage does not regenerate. Once the knee reaches bone-on-bone stage, pain becomes constant — at rest, at night, with every step. That is when total knee replacement stops being a choice and starts being an inevitability.
Total knee replacement is recommended when knee arthritis significantly limits daily activities — walking, climbing stairs, sitting and rising from a chair — and when conservative treatments (medication, injections, physiotherapy) have stopped providing meaningful relief. X-rays showing significant joint space narrowing or bone-on-bone contact confirm the need.
Age is not the deciding factor. Dr. Malhotra operates on patients from their fifties to their eighties. The decision is based on pain level, function loss, and X-ray findings — not a number.
Total knee arthroplasty removes the damaged joint surfaces — the ends of the femur, tibia, and the underside of the kneecap if needed — and replaces them with precision metal components and a high-grade polyethylene bearing. The ligaments are preserved wherever possible. The new joint replicates the natural movement of the knee.
Surgery takes 1.5–2 hours under spinal anaesthesia. You are awake but feel nothing below the waist. Most patients find this preferable to general anaesthesia and recovery is faster.
ARV Orthopaedic Hospital uses implants from globally certified manufacturers — the same components used in top hospitals in the UK, USA, and Singapore. The polyethylene bearing is cross-linked for extended wear life. Implant selection is discussed at consultation based on your anatomy, age, and activity level.
Day 1: Standing with physiotherapy support. Walking begins on day one — this is not optional, it reduces risk of deep vein thrombosis and speeds recovery.
Day 3–4: Discharged home with a walker and written physiotherapy programme.
2–3 weeks: Walking without walker around the home.
6 weeks: Managing stairs, most household activities independently.
3–6 months: Return to normal daily life. Low-impact activities like swimming and walking are encouraged.
12 months: Full strength restored. Most patients feel fully normal.