Recovery times are today increasingly shorter thanks to modern minimally invasive techniques, which offer many advantages and benefits for the patient.
When pain, swelling and stiffness impair the quality of life, minimally invasive prosthetic surgery can definitively resolve osteoarthritis issues and allow a return to daily activities.
Those undergoing an implant want to know the recovery times needed to resume normal activities.
Recovery times are today increasingly shorter thanks to modern minimally invasive techniques, which offer many advantages and benefits for the patient.
These techniques represent a valid alternative for patients for several reasons: they ensure a quick recovery and functional results that meet their expectations.
Moreover there is a reduction in complications such as anemia and infections.
This results in numerous advantages in terms of recovery times.
The surgery
Before the operation it is important to keep in mind some useful advice:
- lose excess weight to avoid overload and restore muscle integrity;
- maintain an active and healthy lifestyle and perform preoperative exercises.
The operation involves replacing the cartilage and joint damaged by osteoarthritis, or part of it, with a personalized state-of-the-art prosthesis.
The choice of implant type depends on the type of osteoarthritis, the patient’s age and activity level, as well as bone quality.
Minimally invasive surgery respects the body’s tissues and allows for rapid functional recovery.
What does it involve?
Before the operation the minimally invasive approach includes educating and physically preparing the patient: information enables greater participation and motivation for the surgery.
Physical preparation helps limit the inevitable muscle mass loss after surgery.
Minimally invasive prosthetic surgery involves the use of smaller, durable, technologically advanced prostheses and a preoperative study of the joint to select the prosthesis that best suits the patient’s specific characteristics.
These prostheses are made with advanced, biocompatible materials (titanium, ceramic, tantalum, polyethylene with vitamin E), eliminating the risk of rejection and significantly increasing longevity compared to older implants.
The minimally invasive prosthesis feels more natural and true to the body’s biomechanics.
Advantages of minimally invasive technique in prosthetic surgery
In particular the technique reduces:
- surgery, hospitalization, rehabilitation and recovery times;
- pain thanks to better postoperative therapy;
- incision size, resulting in a less noticeable scar;
- adhesive for better skin healing;
- bleeding during and after the operation;
- trauma (pain and swelling);
- postoperative complications, e.g. infections.
All this accelerates the patient’s recovery as much as possible.
The underlying principle is that beyond the surgical technique it is crucial to care for the person holistically, preparing them for surgery both medically and rehabilitatively.
It can be summarized in 4 key concepts:
1. minimally invasive surgical technique;
2. reduced bleeding;
3. immediate mobilization;
4. active patient role in recovery.
Minimally invasive surgical technique
Minimally invasive means making an incision just long enough: each patient has their own size.
A 1.60m, 50 kg woman will need a different incision than a 1.90m, 85 kg man.
In both cases it is always a minimally invasive prosthesis.
Patients often focus on the length of the surgical wound; instead, surgeons are more concerned with preserving important tissues like tendons or muscles.
Not only is the cutaneous wound smaller in the minimally invasive technique, but muscles, ligaments and other structures important for the complete function of the joint are also preserved.
Reduced bleeding
A smaller wound results in less blood loss, no need for blood transfusions and a less noticeable scar.
There are also pharmacological and anesthesiological strategies to control bleeding:
- maintaining low blood pressure during the procedure;
- avoiding surgical drains that increase bleeding;
- performing good hemostasis (surgically closing small vessels encountered during surgery).
Immediate mobilization
If the patient is forced to stay in bed, especially if elderly, they quickly lose muscle mass, which is one of the causes of illness after prosthetic surgery.
This is because not only does the risk of dangerous thrombosis increase (although today with heparin the risk is almost eliminated), but more importantly muscle mass loss occurs, which is essential for autonomy in daily activities.
Being confined to bed causes anxiety and concern about the future and returning home.
With the minimally invasive technique the patient can walk a few hours after surgery on the same day.
The patient never loses autonomy. Just as they walked the day before the surgery, they will walk the day after.
Active patient role in recovery
The patient is an active part of their recovery thanks also to MyMobility, an application that guides them step by step through rehabilitation.
The minimally invasive concept becomes broader, involving work in surgery that respects tissues, but it has a strong impact if accompanied by specialized medical and physiotherapy management.
Only by bringing together multiple dedicated professionals can modern standards of care and rapid recovery be guaranteed to the patient (physiotherapists, anesthetists, ward doctors and orthopedists).
Recovery times after minimally invasive prosthetic surgery
Recovery times are significantly shorter than a few years ago, although each patient has their own recovery time, influenced by individual factors such as age or associated illnesses.
With modern rehabilitation protocols patients are encouraged to continue normal daily activities.
Returning quickly to driving, sports, intimacy and personal care, it is important for their psychophysical balance to face the surgery with greater peace of mind.
Physiotherapy exercises are a fundamental part of the care process: they allow a return to complete independence in a very short time.
Moreover they reduce post-surgery pain, allowing for shorter hospital stays.
Today, thanks to current surgical techniques, new prostheses and the Rapid Recovery approach, the patient gets up and starts moving with the help of aids a few hours after surgery on the same day.
The next day they walk freely in the ward and are instructed to climb stairs.
After a few days (3-5 days) the operated patient can return home.
A key element is adopting a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet to avoid weight gain, compromising the surgery results.
Patients who decide to use the MyMobility application benefit from a specially designed exercise program delivered via their mobile phone or computer.
It is recommended to continue physiotherapy treatments, performing the post-operative exercise program with personalized frequency, intensity and duration.
Rehabilitation
The goals of rehabilitation are:
- pain control;
- prevention of immobilization complications;
- achieving adequate mobility;
- strengthening muscles;
- walking independently;
- achieving independence in daily activities.
Everything is connected: minimally invasive surgery, if combined with modern medical therapies, results in very rapid recovery.
With Dr. Vanni Strigelli you can quickly resume your daily life: if you want to know more, request information.
