Knee replacement in Ipswich

What is a knee replacement?

A total knee replacement resurfaces the worn ends of the thigh bone and shin bone with metal parts, with a smooth plastic insert between them. The back of the kneecap is rarely resurfaced.

Is it right for you?

A knee replacement is usually considered when arthritis pain limits walking, sleep or daily life, and non-surgical treatments have stopped helping. If arthritis affects only one part of your knee, a partial knee replacement may be an option, and national guidance recommends that suitable patients are offered that choice.

Your first appointment

I will examine your knee, review X-rays and talk through all your options, including physiotherapy, weight management, injections and partial knee replacement where suitable. If we decide together that surgery is right, I will explain the operation, recovery and risks in detail.

The operation

The operation usually takes 1 to 2 hours. Most people have a spinal anaesthetic, sometimes with sedation. Where it is clinically suitable, I can perform the operation with Mako robotic assistance. You will usually be up and walking with the physiotherapists on the day of surgery or the next morning.

Recovery

• Most people go home after 1 to 2 nights.
• Regular exercises to bend and straighten the knee are the key to a good result.
• Swelling and aching are normal for several months.
• Most people can drive after about 6 weeks, once they can safely make an emergency stop.
• The knee continues to improve for up to a year.

Read more about preparing for and recovering from your operation.

What results can you expect?

Most people have much less pain and can do more after a knee replacement. Around 1 in 5 people still have some pain or are not fully satisfied, so I will help you weigh this up before you decide.

How long does a knee replacement last?

I use one of the best-performing implant combinations in the UK National Joint Registry, with one of the longest track records. Registry figures show that 95 in 100 of these knee replacements last more than 15 years after surgery, and many last longer. However, individual factors, such as your age and activity level, can affect this significantly.

Risks

Risks include infection (about 1 in 100), blood clots, stiffness (occasionally needing a manipulation under anaesthetic), ongoing pain, wound problems, nerve or blood vessel injury, a fracture around the implant, and wear or loosening that may need further surgery in the future.

Alternatives to surgery

Exercise and physiotherapy, weight loss where appropriate, anti-inflammatory gels and painkillers, and steroid injections for short-term relief can all help. See knee arthritis.

Costs and insurance

I am recognised by Bupa, AXA Health, Aviva, Vitality, Aetna and Healix. Please check your policy and ask your insurer for a pre-authorisation number before your first appointment. If you are paying for yourself, Nuffield Health Ipswich will give you a fixed-price package after your consultation. See fees and insurance.

Written and reviewed by Mr Krishna Boddu FRCS (Tr & Orth), consultant orthopaedic surgeon, GMC 5206961. Last reviewed: 1 November 2026.

Sources

• NICE guideline NG157: Joint replacement (primary): hip, knee and shoulder (2020)
• NICE guideline NG226: Osteoarthritis in over 16s: diagnosis and management (2022)
• National Joint Registry annual reports: implant survival
• Beswick AD et al. What proportion of patients report long-term pain after total hip or knee replacement for osteoarthritis? A systematic review. BMJ Open 2012;2:e000435.