Plastic knee and knee joint: indications for surgery and methods of correction



Beautiful knees - an important part of the ideal image of a woman. A mini-skirt and short shorts can afford a lady, whose knees are smooth and taut. Men's views often linger on their knees, so the fair sex carefully monitor their impeccable appearance. But if dry skin can be moisturized with creams, then age-related changes that have affected this part of the legs cannot be corrected with cosmetics alone.

Fat deposits, skin overhang, pigmentation and other knee defects are easily eliminated at plastic surgery centers. Knee surgery is a demanded procedure not only for women over 40, but also for young girls, for example, when the shape of the knee (rollers on the sides) is not in harmony with the thigh and shin.

The skin in the movable part of the leg is in excess, otherwise the knees could not be bent. At a young age, the body copes with the maintenance of the dermis in good shape. But over time, the skin of the knees becomes less elastic and therefore it undergoes such changes as stretching, wrinkles, fat deposits and so on.

Modern methods of solving these problems consist in injection, hardware procedures, as well as surgical operations.

Indications for knee plastics:

1. Excess fat . This situation usually occurs with a general weight gain. Excess fat on the knees can be a genetically determined problem. In this case, with slender legs, knees look disproportionately large.
2. Skin rollers . Fat deposits on the side of the knees create the effect of curvature of the legs.
3. Sagging of the skin . As a result of dramatic weight loss, fat quickly disappears, and the skin remains and hangs down.
4. Wrinkles . One of the reasons for the formation of wrinkles on the knees is excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
5. Ptosis The skin on the knees is constantly stretched. As a result of the individual characteristics of the dermis, as well as under the weight of fat deposits, the skin can fall down, creating a bag.
6. Hyperkeratosis . With this defect, the skin of the knees becomes dry and rough.
7. Age spots or scars . These aesthetic deficiencies arise from the characteristics of the skin, chronic injuries or as a result of postoperative complications.

To solve the problem, you should first select an experienced plastic surgeon. Operations on the knees are not simple, therefore the qualification of the surgeon is very important, which guarantees his knowledge and experience, as well as the sense of taste. After a preliminary examination, the doctor will choose the optimal method of correction - surgical or non-surgical.

Knee correction methods:



• Liposuction Effective method of removing excess fat. The essence of the procedure is that tubes are inserted through small incisions through which excess fat is pumped out.
• Laser lipolysis . It is used to reduce body fat in the knees. A thin laser fiber is inserted under the skin, which breaks the membranes of fat cells. In contrast to liposuction, fat is excreted through the venous lymphatic system. The method of lipolysis includes various hardware procedures.
• Injection knee correction . Moisturizes, rejuvenates and nourishes the skin with vitamins. As a result, the knees become smooth and elastic. Gel injections eliminate wrinkles, smooth sagging skin.
• Laser and radio wave lifting . After exposure to laser radiation and radiofrequency waves, elasticity, density and skin tone increase. Hardware lifting is used to rejuvenate the skin of the knees and eliminate pigment spots and scars.

In addition to knee plastics for aesthetic purposes, operations on this area of ​​the legs are carried out for medical reasons. As a result of injuries, ruptures of the meniscus, anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments can occur. Torn ligaments do not operate in all cases. Immediately after the injury, the doctor prescribes a conservative treatment: removal of hematomas, tight knee fixation, pain relief, exercise, and so on.

If the procedures do not help and the ligaments show signs of instability (the knee becomes disobedient, the dislocations of the lower legs become more frequent), then the knee ligament plasty is performed.

• PKS plastic surgery is a surgical intervention to correct the anterior cruciate ligament tear. The operation is carried out in the case of long-standing gap (more than 2-3 months). The ligament cannot be restored, so it is replaced with a synthetic fabric or part of its own tendon ligaments.
• Plastic ZKS is an operation similar to that of PKS, but manipulations are performed on the posterior cruciate ligament.
• Arthroscopic combined plastic involves the simultaneous restoration of the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments. Such an operation is performed when the knee joint is significantly damaged, for example, after a car accident.

Sprains of the cruciate ligaments are a very common problem among athletes. In this case, the damage to women is several times more common than in men. And for one case of rupture of the posterior cruciate ligament there are 15-30 injuries of the anterior.

Among the causes of the rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament, a direct impact is distinguished: a blow to the lower leg, hip, and non-direct (non-contact): unsuccessful landing, torsion under heavy braking and so on.

Based on the practice of plastic surgery and traumatology, the most popular procedures on the knee are the removal of fatty deposits and the restoration of the knee joint. Consider them in more detail.

How do knees liposuction?

For correction of the fullness of the knees is widely used method of removing fat deposits surgically. Most experts are of the opinion that liposuction is the most effective way to get rid of fat in the knees.

Benefits of knee liposuction:

• fast result, as fat is displayed immediately;
• does not leave scars and scars;
• excellent aesthetic effect;
• minimal amount of complications.

Getting rid of fat in the knees exercise and dieting is difficult. Therefore, those who seek to get rid of fat deposits, with enthusiasm turn to a plastic surgeon for help. But this procedure has contraindications, and some people will have to be disappointed with the refusal.

Contraindications to knee liposuction:

• blood clotting pathologies;
• thrombophlebitis;
• phlebeurysm;
• diabetes;
• obesity;
• weakened immunity;
• skin inflammation;
• chronic diseases in the period of exacerbation;
• pregnancy;
• lactation.

To exclude contraindications, the doctor conducts a preliminary conversation with the patient, during which it reveals the presence of deviations in health. In addition, before the operation, it is necessary to pass blood and urine tests for research.

If everything is OK, then the details of the correction are discussed and the day of the operation is appointed.

Liposuction of the knees is performed on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia. In the case when the combined procedure is performed, that is, the removal of fat from the thighs , buttocks, abdomen, anesthesia is used. The duration of manipulation on the knees depends on the amount of fat deposits, but does not exceed 1 hour.

Doctor's actions before the procedure:

• treats knees with antiseptics;
• marks the area of ​​body fat;
• makes cuts in places that are less visible;
• adjusts the instrument for the procedure.

Fat removal from the knees is performed by two methods:

• Tumescent liposuction . The classical method involves the introduction of special preparations under the skin that destroy fat cells. Then, using vacuum, fats are removed through the tubes inserted into the incisions. After pumping fat, the doctor evaluates the result and corrects it if necessary.
• Laser liposuction of the knees . It is an alternative to the classic procedure. The laser beam affects the tissue more gently. Adipose tissue is destroyed by exposure to laser radiation. To do this, the doctor inserts instruments with laser light guide into the incisions. Next, the fat is removed in the same way as in the classical method.

After all the manipulations, the surgeon stitches the incisions and installs rubber graduates. Tubes are cleaned in 1-2 days.

The rehabilitation period lasts about 1 month. The first few days, the patient feels pain in the knees and has difficulty in moving. Doctors recommend to be mostly in a horizontal position for three days. To relieve pain, the patient needs to take analgesics, and to rule out infection, antibiotics.

Laser liposuction of the knees is most preferable for the elderly, as their cells are not well reduced, and the skin may sag after the procedure. The impact of the laser beam stimulates cell regeneration, production of collagen and elastin, which allows the skin to quickly come to the desired tone. Thus, in addition to removing fat, a skin tightening effect is achieved.

The knee liposuction procedure cannot be treated separately from the calf and thigh. It happens that fat is deposited only in the knees, and the rest of the legs remain slim. But in any case, an experienced doctor performs the operation in such a way that the result is proportional to the whole area: hip - knee - shin.

For persons who have contraindications to liposuction, alternative methods of removing fat in the knees are recommended:

• Chemical lipolysis is the breakdown of fats by injecting special preparations under the skin.
• Cryolipolysis - the destruction of fat occurs as a result of hypothermia (over-accumulation) of tissues, artificially created by a special device.
• Electrolipolysis - the splitting of adipose tissue by the action of electric current.
• Ultrasonic lipolysis - fat is destroyed as a result of exposure to ultrasound tissue.

After such procedures, fat cells are excreted from the knee area in a natural way. The cell walls are broken, and fat is absorbed into the blood and excreted through the liver.

How do plastic knee?

Cruciate ligaments of the knee are the stabilizing structures of the knee apparatus, in which the back prevents the hip from moving backwards and the front controls the movement of the lower leg.

The gap ZKS rarely occurs independently.

In case of a serious injury, the ligaments can break both in front and behind at the same time.

Therefore, speaking of the plastic of the knee joint, primarily imply the reconstruction of the PCB.

After a knee injury, you must be examined by a doctor. But the patient himself may suggest an anterior cruciate ligament rupture if he has the following symptoms:

• upon impact or sudden movement (at the time of the injury) a person hears a click or crack in the knee joint;
• after a couple of minutes after the injury, severe swelling occurs on the knee area;
• you can not lean on the leg, as there is a sharp, high intensity pain;
• there is an extensive hematoma (accumulation of blood inside the knee);
• when walking the shin is not stable, it is dislocated.

In the first few days, the injury to the ACD is difficult to diagnose due to severe edema. In addition to visual inspection, the doctor prescribes an x-ray, and if the picture is unclear, the patient is referred for an MRI.

After the diagnosis of torn ligaments, conservative treatment is prescribed. Knee surgery is performed immediately if the patient, due to his profession, is constantly experiencing stresses on the knee joint, for example, an athlete. In case of treatment failure, the joint is reconstructed using the patient’s own tendons.

A less traumatic way is artificial materials that are not inferior in their density to living tissue.

Artificial implants are often used for prosthetics of the ligaments of the elderly.

Before reconstruction of the joint, it is necessary to carefully examine the patient in order to exclude contraindications that may cause complications during the operation or after it. To do this, the patient is examined by a traumatologist and other doctors in the direction of the surgeon, undergoes laboratory tests.

Knee surgery is contraindicated if the patient has the following health problems:

• inflammatory processes in the skin;
• chronic diseases in the acute phase;
• the accretion of the elements of the articulation of the knee joint;
• allergy to anesthetics;
• rheumatoid arthritis in the acute phase;
• infectious diseases.

Course of knee joint plasty

At the preparatory stage, the patient is given general anesthesia. After the anesthesia has acted, the surgeon cuts the skin on the knees in aesthetically non-essential areas. Through incisions, the doctor inserts into the knee joint an endoscopic tube and instruments with which it carries out manipulations. It cuts off the autograft from the tibia and the patella, resulting in a bundle with bone blocks at the ends. Next, it drills cavities on the articular surfaces of the thigh and lower leg, through which the graft passes. The ends of the new tendon fixes biopolymer absorbable screws.

In some cases, titanium screws are used, but when re-operation is necessary, this creates considerable difficulties. After all the manipulations, the doctor sews up the tendons from which the grafts were taken. It then stitches the tissue incisions.

Rehabilitation period

A few days the patient is in the hospital, and then goes home. At first, the patient experiences severe pain, so it is recommended that he move as little as possible. One or two weeks you need to walk on crutches, without relying on the sore leg. The knee is fixed with an orthosis or a bandage. Next, the patient uses the cane for movement and performs a rehabilitation program prescribed by the doctor.

The recovery period program is designed for 24 weeks. Rehabilitation is divided into phases, each of which prescribes a set of measures aimed at restoring joint mobility. Exercises and procedures are designed in such a way as to load the joint by increasing intensity, without abrupt and painful movements. As a result, by 6 months after surgery, a person can fully engage in sports or other physical activities.

Possible complications after surgery:

• contracture, expressed in limiting the mobility of the joint;
• scarring of the ligaments;
• patello-femoral arthrosis;
• rupture of the patellar ligament (after the implant is taken);
• rupture of a new ligament (graft);
• separation of the implant from the place of fixation;
• implant rejection (in case if own tissue was not used);
• allergy to anesthesia.

The aim of the knee plasty is to restore the level of physical activity and reduce the risk of complications. In general, the operation restores the amplitude of movements and other functions of the knee joint by at least 85%. With careful observance of the requirements of the rehabilitation period, more than 90% of people return to sports and a full life.

Prices for knee plastics in Moscow and St. Petersburg:

• laser liposuction of the knees - from 15,000 rubles;
• PKS plastic - from 20,000 rubles;
• arthroscopic combined plastic - from 55,000 rubles.

The cost of operations on the knees varies depending on the complexity of the defect, the qualifications of the surgeon, the site of the plasty, the price of drugs and other factors. Overall, reviews of plastic knee surgeries are positive. People do not regret the money spent, since they get the desired effect: beautiful knees or the functional state of the knee joint.