Topical Phytotherapy is the Nobel Approach for Revision of Total Knee Replacement: A Unique Case Study

Knee-osteoarthritis (KOA) can only be treated by total knee replacement (TKR), which is a well-known surgical intervention in the globe. But in some cases, TKR failed in the operated knee-joint as well as non-operated knee-joint may pose risk of KOA. In general, patients are advised to undergo revision of TKR when two prostheses of femoral and tibial compartments are prolapsed or loosen or such other reasons as well as non-operating knee-joint needs to be operated urgently. The phytotherapy with Indian medicinal plants are well-established. The present case study was aimed to determine the efficacy of topical phytotherapeutic treatment for 90 days in order to prevent the revision of TKR, improve the pain and functional performance in daily activities in four Indian patients. After 90 days of topical phytotherapy treatment, the results were observed a significant decrease in pain in both the legs and lower back under visual analogue scale (p<0.05), improvement of pain (p<0.05), stiffness (p<0.05) and physical function (p<0.05) under WOMAC Index, a significant improvement in the Karnofsky scale (<0.05), reduction of obesity confirmed by body mass index (p<0.05) and normal radiological features. In conclusion, failed TKR can be treated by phytotherapy without further revision evidenced by normalization of above-mentioned parameters.