How Long Is The Recovery For Knee Lifts?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I am interested in knee lifts and after seeing your after surgery pictures I’m sold. I thought it would be much wider and more noticeable. The bottom after picture looks amazing. I have struggled for so long with this issue and I know it’s the only answer. I have read that the cost of the surgery is between $4700 and $5300 or something like that. Is that correct? How much time off work would I need? I’m a visiting nurse so it’s not strenuous at all. It’s exciting to think for once I’ll be able to wear shorts. How long would they be swollen?  I guess that would also affect my timeline for the surgery.

A:  I will have my assistant pass along the actual cost of knee lift surgery to you next week. It is most economical to have the procedure done under local anesthesia with IV sedation. The knees do not swell up that much, it is only necessary to keep them wrapped with ace wraps or Coban wraps. The biggest issue is to just be careful to not bend the kneed beyond 90 degrees for about a month after surgery to not place too much stress/stretching on the incisions. How that would affect your work would depend on that issue. I suspect it would not be more than seven to ten days.

Dr. Barry Eppley

Indianapolis, Indiana