Pain relief for patients with knee osteoarthritis

Patients with knee osteoarthritis often have to deal with pain, reducing their quality of life.

Ms. Huong (62 years old, Hai Phong ) came to the hospital for examination with knee osteoarthritis for 4 years now, accompanied by recurrent knee effusion. Other underlying diseases are diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity.

Mrs. Huong used slow-acting oral anti-inflammatory and osteoarthritis drugs, the disease improved but the effect was slow.

In recent months, the disease has progressed severely, causing Ms. Huong to often have knee pain, difficulty walking, especially when going up and down stairs, unable to squat or cross her legs, especially the stiffness occurs every morning and it takes about half an hour for her to be able to move.

Through clinical examination and MRI, Associate Professor, Dr. Dang Hong Hoa, Head of the Department of Musculoskeletal, Tam Anh General Hospital , Hanoi, found that Ms. Huong's degenerative condition was at stage 3, this was a degenerative joint problem with acute synovitis and osteoporosis.

Associate Professor, Dr. Hoa prescribed aspiration of fluid from the joint and injection of HA solution. Combined with physical therapy exercises, after 2 weeks, Ms. Huong's pain symptoms were significantly reduced, and the joint fluid improved. After about 8-12 weeks, the patient's symptoms of joint stiffness improved by 90%, and she could walk and go up and down stairs more easily.

According to Associate Professor Hoa, injecting exogenous HA (Hyaluronic Acid) into the joint will help reduce pain quickly, fight inflammation well, inhibit degeneration, connect proteoglycans and increase the synthesis of cartilage cells. Besides HA injection, other intra-articular injection methods such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP), stem cells and collagen also give positive treatment results in cases of knee osteoarthritis.

These methods follow a conservative treatment trend, effective for mild and moderate stages of degeneration, activating and supporting other cells to recover, stimulating the body to regenerate, thereby helping to fight inflammation, reduce pain, and restore joint function.

Another case is Mr. Thao (71 years old, Nghe An ) who came to the hospital with prolonged knee pain and swelling, almost unable to walk.

Through clinical examination, X-ray and MRI, Mr. Thao had stage 4 osteoarthritis, and medical treatment was no longer effective.

Illustration

MSc. Nguyen Quang Ton Quyen, Deputy Head of the Orthopedic Trauma Department of Tam Anh General Hospital, Hanoi, said that the cartilage layer in the patient's right knee was almost completely eroded, the bone head was deformed, the joint space was narrowed, subchondral sclerosis, and the amount of joint lubricating fluid was severely reduced. This is a condition of severe joint damage, and the patient needs a joint replacement to restore mobility.

The surgery took just over an hour. Doctors used dynamic alignment knee replacement surgery techniques and improved incisions below the muscle, protecting the muscle to help the patient recover the ability to extend the knee faster.

The incision was closed with biological glue to provide effective cosmetic results and post-operative care. Just 24 hours after surgery, the pain was significantly reduced, Mr. Thao could walk lightly, no longer dependent on a wheelchair. Combined with physical therapy, about 2 weeks after surgery, the patient was able to walk and live normally.

According to Dr. Quyen, with advanced kinematic knee replacement technique, the artificial knee will be similar to the natural knee in terms of function and curvature of the leg axis, allowing internal and external rotation, helping to increase joint flexibility.

Thanks to that, patients can quickly restore leg shape and mobility when performing movements such as stretching, walking, etc. The patient's sense of movement also becomes more realistic.

In addition, depending on each case with the level of joint damage, mobility needs and different ages, patients are indicated to replace suitable types of knee joints such as cementless knee joints, Medial Pivot joints, UC (Ultra Congruent) joints.

These are new types of joints, with high range of motion, low wear, long life, reduced bone loss, and reduced risk of knee dislocation after surgery.

According to statistics from the World Health Organization, in 2019, globally, about 528 million people were living with osteoarthritis, most commonly in the knee joint.

Of these, about 73% are over the age of 55 and 60% are women. Compared to 1990, the rate of osteoarthritis in 2019 has increased by 113%.

According to experts, with an aging population, increasing obesity and injuries, the incidence of osteoarthritis continues to increase globally.

To prevent and treat osteoarthritis effectively, Associate Professor, Dr. Hoa recommends that everyone should practice a scientific and moderate diet and exercise regimen.

In particular, when you see unusual signs of the body such as swelling, pain, and stiff joints, you should see a doctor soon to find the exact cause and have appropriate treatment measures to avoid dangerous complications.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/giam-dau-don-cho-benh-nhan-mac-thoai-hoa-khop-goi-d226428.html