Osteoarthritis (calcification)is a movement system disease that progresses with the destruction of joint cartilage. Gonarthrosis is the name given to the form seen in the knee joint. Calcification of the knee joint seriously affects daily life activities and reduces the comfort of life by causing disability. Gonarthrosis is frequently seen in people over the age of 45, that is, in the middle and older age group. It is caused by some structural factors such as obesity, excessive and forceful use of the knee, trauma and curvature of the leg bones.
Knee arthritis is caused by pain that increases with activity and at night, noise in the knee joint, inward bending of the legs and knee joint pain. Restriction of movement is one of the important complaints.
The disease can be easily diagnosed using physical examination and radiological methods. Although x-rays are usually sufficient to make the diagnosis, MRI imaging can also be used. MRI is an imaging method that helps show additional problems such as meniscus and ligament injury, especially in addition to cartilage damage in the knee.
There are many different methods in the treatment of knee arthritis. These treatment methods should be individualized for the patient. Treatment can be planned according to the patient's expectations from daily life and activity level. We can divide treatment methods into two: surgical and non-surgical. Regulation in daily living activities, diet, and movement system exercises are preventive non-surgical treatment methods. Losing weight can reduce the load on the knee joint, prevent the destruction of the joint cartilage, that is, the progression of the disease, and completely relieve the complaints. Medications ranging from simple painkillers to stronger painkillers can be used as drug treatment. Injections may also be given into the knee joint. Medicines containing fluid similar to synovial fluid can be applied to the knee joint. In addition, an injection application called PRP (platelet-rich plasma), which has recently increased in popularity, is also performed, in which the patient's own blood is taken and the various growth factors in it are separated and prepared after some procedures. p>
Surgical procedures can be performed on patients who do not benefit sufficiently from these treatment methods. It is clear. The surgical procedure to be performed varies depending on the degree of the disease and the presence of additional problems in the knee joint. Arthroscopic (closed) surgeries are performed in the early stages of the disease in cases accompanied by meniscus and ligament injuries. With this method, the knee joint is entered through small incisions and the knee joint is observed with a camera, and procedures for damaged tissues are easily performed. Malalignment, that is, curvature, in the leg also disrupts the load distribution and causes calcification. By correcting the curvature in the bone, the load distribution improves, complaints decrease and calcification is prevented. In some patients, cartilage damage in the knee joint may be severe. In these patients, a partial (half) prosthesis is applied if the joint is in a part of the joint, and a full prosthesis is applied if it is in the whole joint, and the treatment method is applied in which the defective joint surfaces are removed and a new artificial joint is created. After the surgical procedures, patients' complaints are resolved and a quick and painless return to daily life activities is achieved.
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