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About Knee Replacement Surgery in Turkey

Knee replacement surgery is a popular and successful treatment in Turkey for pain and other symptoms associated with a damaged or diseased knee joint. Turkey, being an important hub for modern healthcare, receives a large number of individuals from all over the world seeking quality treatment.

Knee replacement surgery is performed in well-established medical facilities by skilled experts using the most up-to-date surgical methods. Knee replacement surgery, also called knee arthroplasty or total knee replacement, is a treatment procedure to resurface a knee damaged by arthritis. Metal and plastic parts are used to seal the ends of the bones that make up the knee joint together with the kneecap. This surgery might be considered for patients who have severe arthritis or a severe knee injury.

Various types of arthritis might affect the knee joint. Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease that affects mostly middle-aged and older adults, might cause the breakdown of joint cartilage and adjacent bone in the knees. Rheumatoid arthritis, which causes inflammation of the synovial membrane and results in excessive synovial fluid, may lead to pain and stiffness. The aim of knee replacement surgery is to resurface the knee joint that have been damaged and to relieve knee pain that can’t be controlled by other treatments.

You might also need it if your knee pain has not responded to other techniques of pain relief for structural damage or other conditions, such as osteoarthritis. If you choose knee replacement operation, an anesthesiologist will prevent you from feeling pain during the operation. As pain management specialists, anesthesiologists also play a key role in pain relief and recovery after knee replacement surgery. This post-surgical pain relief is important for effective participation in physical therapy and rehabilitation.

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Knee Replacement Surgery Procedure in Turkey

Knee replacement surgery is a kind of arthroplasty. Arthroplasty literally means “the surgical repair of a joint,” and it includes the surgical reconstruction and replacement of degenerated joints, using artificial body parts, or prosthetics. When the knee joint cartilage is damaged or worn out, it becomes painful, and it is difficult for the knee to move. Instead of sliding over each other, the bones rub against each other and are crushed. Instead of sliding over each other, the bones rub against each other and are crushed. With a prosthesis, the patient will feel less pain, and the knee will move well.

Every year, over 100,000 knee replacement surgeries are carried out in Turkey. Most patients are between 50 to 80 years old. Over 90% of patients experience an effective improvement in pain levels and mobility. As long as the patient follows the specialist’s instructions for knee care, in 90% of cases, a replacement knee still functions well after 15 years, and 80-85% of replacements last 20 years.

Knee replacement surgery is a very successful procedure, but before operating, other measures are generally tried first. These involve rest or reduced activity, pain-relieving medicine, anti-inflammatory drugs (if no contra-indications), physiotherapy, and weight loss. A steroid injection may give temporary relief, and a limited number of people can benefit from more minor arthroscopic (keyhole) procedures.

Reasons for Knee Replacement Surgery in Turkey

The most common case that results in the need for knee replacement surgery is osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is occur by the breakdown of joint cartilage. Damage to the cartilage and bones restricts movement and might cause pain. Patients with severe degenerative joint disease might be unable to do normal activities that include bending at the knee, such as walking or climbing stairs because they are painful. The knee might swell or “give way” because the joint is not stable.

Other forms of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis and arthritis that consequences from a knee injury, might also lead to degeneration of the knee joint. In addition, fractures, torn cartilage, and/or torn ligaments might lead to irreversible damage to the knee joint. If medical treatments are not adequate, knee replacement operation might be an effective treatment. Some medical treatments for a degenerative joint disease might involve, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate
  • Pain medications
  • Physical therapy
  • Limiting painful activities
  • Assistive devices for walking (such as a cane)
  • Anti-inflammatory medications
  • Viscosupplementation injections (to add lubrication into the joint to make joint movement less painful)
  • Cortisone injections into the knee joint
  • Weight loss (for obese persons)

There may be other reasons why your doctor may recommend knee replacement surgery. Experts in Turkey decide whether you need a knee replacement after physical examinations and several tests.

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Types of Knee Replacement Surgery in Turkey

There are different surgical methods of knee replacement surgery in Turkey. Your doctor and an orthopedic surgery specialist at Healthy Türkiye will help you choose the best option for you, taking into account the condition of your knee and your general health.

Total Knee Replacement (TKR): In a total knee replacement (total knee arthroplasty), the specialist removes damaged cartilage and bone from the surface of your knee joint. And it replaces them with a man-made surface made of metal and plastic.

Partial Knee Replacement (UKA): In a partial knee replacement (unicompartmental knee arthroplasty), the specialist only replaces one part of your knee joint. The advantages of partial knee replacements involve smaller incisions, shorter hospital stays, less blood loss, easier post-op rehabilitation, a lower risk of infection, blood clots, and stiffness, and an easier revision if necessary.

Minimally Invasive Knee Replacement Surgery: Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) uses specialized methods and instrumentation to enable the specialist to perform major surgery without a large incision. Minimally invasive knee replacement needs a smaller incision, three to five inches, versus the standard approach, which generally needs an eight to twelve inches incision. Minimally invasive surgery might lead to less pain, decreased recovery time, and better motion due to less scar tissue formation.

Revision Knee Replacement Surgery: Revision knee replacement surgery is performed to replace the replacement knee once it has worn out. The revision is generally more complicated and a longer procedure than the knee replacement operation. There is no set restriction on the number of times you can have revision surgery, but it is widely accepted that the artificial knee joint becomes less effective each time it is replaced.

Prepare for Knee Replacement Surgery in Turkey

Knee replacement surgery includes major surgical operations, so pre-operative preparation, medical consultations, and physical evaluations generally start a month before the set date of the operation. Preparatory and diagnostic tests will involve checking blood count, seeing how the blood clots, and carrying out electrocardiograms (ECGs), and urine tests. Surgery is generally performed either under general, spinal, or epidural anesthesia. During knee replacement operation, the orthopedic specialist will remove the damaged cartilage and bone, and then position the new implant, made of metal, plastic, or both, to restore the alignment and function of the knee.

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How Is Knee Replacement Surgery Performed in Turkey?

Knee replacement surgery needs anesthesia. Your input and preference help the team decide whether to use general anesthesia, which makes you unconscious, or spinal anesthesia, which leaves you awake but unable to feel pain from your waist down. You will be given an intravenous antibiotic before, during, and after knee replacement operation to help prevent post-surgical infection. You may also be given a nerve block around your knee to numb it. The numbness wears off gradually after knee replacement surgery.

Your knee will be in a bent position to expose all the surfaces of the joint. After making an incision about 6 – 10 inches (15 to 25 centimeters) long, your specialist moves your kneecap aside and cuts away the damaged joint surfaces. After preparing the joint surfaces, the specialist attaches the pieces of the artificial joint. Before closing the incision, he or she bends and rotates your knee, analyzing it to ensure proper function. Knee replacement surgery lasts around two hours.

After Knee Replacement Surgery in Turkey

After discharge from the hospital, follow-up appointments should be scheduled regularly. To treat pain and inflammation, take the medicines recommended by your specialist. There will be stitches and bandages around the operated part for the first few days. When the bandage is still in place, you should avoid contact with water.

Make sure there’s someone at home to take care of you after your total knee replacement surgery. Someone to assist you in walking. Initially, employ walking assistance, but progressively decrease their use. By contacting Healthy Türkiye, you can make an appointment with a specialized physiotherapist. You should exercise on a regular basis to keep the joint from stiffening. This helps in the joint’s smooth mobility. You should avoid sitting with your legs crossed. It might cause harm to your new joint.

Recovery from Knee Replacement Operation in Turkey

You should consider a number of choices for pain relief following knee surgery. These choices should be discussed with a pain management specialist at Healthy Türkiye, who can explain the pros and cons of each option or combination of options, including effectiveness, potential side effects, the potential for addiction, and the impact on the knee replacement recovery time. Anesthesiologists in Turkey who specialize in pain management can work with you before and after knee replacement operation on a plan tailored to your condition, personal history, and preferences.

Some of the choices to consider and discuss are:

  • Analgesics such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) act only to relieve pain.
  • Anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen sodium act to relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
  • Peripheral nerve blocks involve the injection of an anesthetic into certain nerves to block pain signals between the brain and the knee.
  • Opioids. These medicines, which block pain signals to the brain, are sometimes necessary to relieve severe or persistent pain, but patients should take them only as required and use as low a dose as possible. Monitoring by a pain management expert is important because opioids can be addictive.
  • Multimodal therapy. This is commonly applied for pain management after total knee replacement surgery and typically involves opioids and one or more additional pain relief methods. Multimodal therapy may improve pain control while limiting opioid use.

It is critical to consider all choices in consultation with a pain management specialist. For example, a recent study found that patients undergoing minimally invasive knee replacements left the hospital sooner and with less pain when given a combination of medicines that act by different mechanisms to control pain, rather than relying on one type of pain drug. Anesthesiologists at Healthy Türkiye work with your surgical team to evaluate, monitor, and supervise your care before, during, and after total knee replacement surgery.

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2024 Cost of Knee Replacement Surgery in Turkey

All types of medical attention, like knee replacement surgery, are very affordable in Turkey. Many factors are also included in determining the cost of knee replacement surgery in Turkey. Your process with Healthy Türkiye will last from the time you decide to have knee replacement surgery in Turkey until you are fully recovered, even if you are back home. The exact cost of a knee replacement procedure in Turkey depends on the type of operation involved.

The cost of knee replacement surgery in Turkey does not demonstrate many variations in 2024. Compared to costs in developed countries like the United States or the UK, knee replacement surgery costs in Turkey are relatively low. So, it’s no wonder patients from across the world visit Turkey for knee replacement operation procedures. However, price is not the only factor affecting choices. We suggest looking for hospitals that are safe and have good reviews for knee replacement surgery on Google. When people decide to seek medical help for total knee replacement surgery, they will not only have had low-cost procedures in Turkey, but also the safest and best treatment.

At clinics or hospitals contracted with Healthy Türkiye, patients will receive the best knee replacement operation from specialist doctors in Turkey at affordable rates. Healthy Türkiye teams to provide medical attention, knee replacement surgery procedures, and high-quality treatment to patients at a minimum cost. When you contact Healthy Türkiye assistants, you can get free information about the cost of knee replacement surgery in Turkey and what this cost covers.

Price of Replacement Surgery in the UK

The price of knee replacement surgery in the UK is in the range of £21.400-£33.500.

Price of Replacement Surgery in the USA

The price of knee replacement surgery in the USA is around $43.500-$56.000.

Price Knee Replacement Surgery in Turkey

The price of knee replacement surgery in Turkey is approximately $5.000-$14.250.

The prices may vary based on specific procedure requirements. Contact us for exact price information.

Why Is Knee Replacement Surgery Cheaper in Turkey?

One of the main considerations before traveling abroad for knee replacement surgery is the cost-effectiveness of the whole process. Many patients think that when they add flight tickets and hotel expenses to their knee replacement surgery costs, it will become very expensive to travel, which is not true. Contrary to popular belief, round-trip flight tickets to Turkey for knee replacement surgery can be booked very affordably.

In this case, assuming you are staying in Turkey for your knee replacement operation, your total travel expense of flight tickets and accommodation will only cost less than any other developed country, which is nothing compared to the amount that you are saving. The question “Why is knee replacement surgery cheaper in Turkey?” is so common among patients or people simply curious about getting their medical treatment in Turkey. When it comes to knee replacement surgery prices in Turkey, there are 3 factors allowing for cheaper prices:

The currency exchange is favorable for whoever looking for knee replacement surgery has a euro, dollar, or pound;

The lower cost of living and cheaper overall medical expenses such as knee replacement surgery;

For knee replacement surgery, incentives are given by the Turkish Government to medical clinics working with international clients;

All these factors allow for cheaper knee replacement operation prices, but let’s be clear, these prices are cheaper for people with strong currencies (as we said, euro, dollar, Canadian dollar, pound, etc).

Every year, thousands of patients from all over the world come to Turkey to get total knee replacement surgery. The success of the healthcare system has increased in recent years, especially for knee replacement operation. It’s easy to find well-educated and English-speaking medical professionals in Turkey for all kinds of medical treatment, such as knee replacement surgery.

Why Choose Turkey for Knee Replacement Surgery?

Turkey is a common choice among international patients seeking advanced knee replacement surgery. Turkey’s health procedures are safe and effective, with a high success rate, like knee replacement surgery. The increasing demand for high-quality knee replacement surgery at affordable prices has made Turkey a popular medical travel destination. In Turkey, knee replacement operation is performed by highly experienced and trained doctors with the most advanced technology in the world. Knee replacement surgery is done in Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, and other major cities. The reasons for choosing knee replacement surgery in Turkey are as follows:

High-quality hospitals: Joint Commission International (JCI) accredited hospitals have dedicated knee replacement surgery units that are specially designed for patients. International and national strict protocols provide effective and successful knee replacement surgery for patients in Turkey.

Qualified experts: The expert teams include nurses and specialist doctors, together to carry out knee replacement surgery according to the patient’s needs. All the included doctors are highly experienced in performing knee replacement surgery.

Affordable price: The cost of knee replacement surgery in Turkey is affordable compared to Europe, the USA, the UK, Singapore, Australia, etc.

The high success rate: Highly experienced specialists, the best available technology, and stringently followed safety guidelines for post-operative care of the patient, resulting in a high success rate for knee replacement surgery in Turkey.

Is Knee Replacement Surgery Safe in Turkey?

Did you know Turkey is one of the most visited destinations for knee replacement surgery in the world? It is ranked as one of the most popular tourist destinations for knee replacement surgery. Over the years, it has also come to be a very popular medical tourism destination, with many tourists coming in for knee replacement operations. There are so many reasons why Turkey stands out as a leading destination for knee replacement surgery. Because Turkey is both safe and easy to travel to, with a regional airport hub and flight connections to pretty much everywhere, it is preferred for knee replacement surgery.

The best hospitals in Turkey have experienced medical staff and specialists who have performed thousands of medical services, such as knee replacement surgery. All procedures and coordination related to knee replacement surgery are controlled by the Ministry of Health in accordance with the law. Over many years, the greatest progress in medicine has been observed in the field of knee replacement surgery. Turkey is known among foreign patients for its great opportunities in the area of knee replacement operation.

To emphasize, besides the price itself, the key factor in selecting a destination for knee replacement surgery is certainly the standard of medical services, the hospital staff’s high level of expertise, hospitality, and the safety of the country.

All-Inclusive Packages for Knee Replacement Surgery in Turkey

Healthy Türkiye offers all-inclusive packages for knee replacement surgery in Turkey at much lower prices. Extremely professional and experienced doctors and technicians carry out high-quality knee replacement surgery. The cost of knee replacement surgery in European countries can be quite expensive, especially in the UK. Healthy Türkiye provides cheap all-inclusive packages for a long and short stay of knee replacement surgery in Turkey. Because of many factors, we can provide you with many opportunities for your knee replacement surgery in Turkey.

The price of knee replacement surgery differs from other countries due to medical fees, staff labor prices, exchange rates, and market competition. You can save much more in knee replacement surgery compared to other countries in Turkey. When you purchase knee replacement surgery all-inclusive package with Healthy Türkiye our healthcare team will present of hotels for you to choose from. In knee replacement operation travel, you will have the price of your stay included in the all-inclusive package cost.

When you purchase knee replacement surgery all-inclusive packages through Healthy Türkiye in Turkey, you will always receive VIP transfers. These are provided by Healthy Türkiye, which has contracted with highly qualified hospitals for knee replacement surgery in Turkey. The Healthy Türkiye teams will organize everything about knee replacement surgery for you and have you picked up from the airport and safely brought to your accommodation. Once settled in the hotel, you will be transferred to and from the clinic or hospital for knee replacement surgery. After your knee replacement surgery has been successfully completed, the transfer team will return you to the airport in time for your flight home. In Turkey, all packages of knee replacement surgery can be arranged upon request, which relaxes the minds of our patients.

The Best Hospitals in Turkey for Knee Replacement Surgery

The best hospitals in Turkey for knee replacement surgery are Memorial Hospital, Acıbadem International Hospital, and Medicalpark Hospital. These hospitals attract patients from all over the world seeking knee replacement surgery due to their affordable prices and high success rates.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Usually, you will be helped to stand within 12 to 24 hours after your knee replacement surgery. Walking with a frame or crutches is supported. Many people are able to walk independently with sticks after about a week.

Barring any complications, most patients are able to return to most normal activities and walk without the need for assistive devices between 3 to 6 weeks after knee replacement surgery. Overall, it generally takes 2 to 3 months to make a complete recovery from a minimally invasive knee replacement.

You should not go downhill skiing or play contact sports such as football. In general, you should avoid sports that require jerking, twisting, pulling, or running. You can do lower-impact activities, such as hiking, gardening, swimming, playing tennis, and golfing.

You can get a cane, crutches, or a walker. You may need a reacher to help you pick up things from the floor, put on your pants, and take off your socks.

After knee replacement surgery, some specialists might restrict riding or drive in the car for up to four weeks. With both surgeries, you should not drive or ride longer than 45 minutes. If you do ride in a car, you must stop every 45 minutes to get out of the car and walk.

Raising the height of the toilet seat will prevent you from stretching your knee too much. You can do this by adding a seat cover or elevating the toilet seat. You might also use a commode chair instead of a toilet. You might need to have safety bars in your bathroom.

The best way to sleep after knee replacement surgery is on your back. This condition makes it easy to keep your leg straight while sleeping, allowing proper blood flow to the surgery site. You might also prop your leg up using pillows while sleeping on your back.

For most patients, a replacement knee lasts over twenty years, especially if the new knee is cared for properly and not put under too much strain.