Pt. 4 of Patient FAQs About Knee Gel Injections

Part 4 in our series addressing a few common concerns for patients about knee or hip gel injection treatment.

What is the best age to have a knee replacement?

Knee replacements will hopefully last 20 years. TKA performed between the ages of 70 and 80 years has the best outcome. With respect to mortality, it would be better to perform TKA when the patients are younger, but would result in more patients requiring an additional surgery or what is called “Revision Surgery” which is more complicated, and less successful. Therefore, the authors of these studies believe that from 70 to 80 years of age is the optimal range for undergoing TKA. That said, if you can avoid it fully, you will be able to bypass all the surgical risks.

Can you have gel injection to a knee, shoulder or hip after joint replacement?

NO. Absolutely not. After a replacement, you have an artificial knee and your original or natural knee has been “cut out” or removed. Any post surgical pain cannot be treated with medical re-lubrication procedures.

What to do if you're still in pain for a period of time after replacement surgery?

If the replacement is re-evaluated by the treating surgeon and no additional surgery is warranted, a common reason for pain is the development of painful, rigid scar tissue. Scar tissue can be very stiff, cause impaired range of motion, and can be very sensitive resulting in a good degree of pain.

Often, a two step procedure called Genicular Nerve Block can help those types of cases. Detailed info packs are available on this procedure. Just call and ask our staff for more information.

Questions? Please call the office and schedule your No Cost, No Obligation Joint Pain Assessment: 877-380-8520