As many as 3 out of every 10 Americans is believed to have knee osteoarthritis, a debilitating wearing away of connective tissue, called articular cartilage, within the joint. Your articular cartilage acts as a kind of shock absorber to prevent one bone from scraping against another and allows for smooth and stable movement of the joint.
A solution for damage confined to one compartment of the knee due to osteoarthritis is partial knee replacement. Partial knee replacement can be done when damage to a knee from osteoarthritis is confined to a particular part of the knee. As an alternative to total knee replacement, only the damaged part of the knee cartilage is replaced with a prosthesis. Best of all, a partial knee replacement provides quicker and typically painless recovery. Partial knee replacement is being done for more young, active people thanks to the quick recovery.
Once reserved for an older patient with arthritic conditions, partial knee replacement is now done for adults of all ages.
Are you a candidate for partial knee replacement?
You might be a good candidate for partial knee replacement if you have been diagnosed with medial (the inside compartment of the joint nearest the opposite knee) or lateral (the outside compartment farthest from the opposite knee) knee osteoarthritis.
Other factors your doctor considers before recommending partial knee replacement include:
- Persistent knee pain despite the use of anti-inflammatory drugs and maintaining a healthy weight.
- You have an intact anterior cruciate ligament, a sufficient range of knee motion, damage to only one compartment, and an otherwise stable knee.
- The angulation of the deformity.
In evaluating your suitability for partial knee replacement, your provider will identify the precise location of pain in your knee, then check your range of motion and your knee’s stability. Although a knee X-ray may determine your eligibility for the surgery, sometimes, your doctor may not know definitively if you are a good candidate until the procedure begins.
The Risks and Benefits of Partial Knee Replacement
Partial knee replacement does a better job of maintaining your range of motion than total knee replacement because it preserves healthy bone and tissue. There is also less blood loss associated with the surgery and faster knee motion recovery. If partial knee replacement fails to improve your range of motion, you can still undergo total knee replacement later on.
As with all surgeries, partial knee replacement has its risks, which include:
- Possible infection at the surgical site, as well as blood clots and injuries to blood vessels or nerves, although these complications are rare.
- Possible knee joint stiffness.
- Possible failure or loosening of the prosthesis, along with continued pain.
Recovery From Partial Knee Replacement
One of the great things about partial knee replacement is that you can start moving your knee the next day after surgery. Also, knee function returns rapidly and with less pain than what you would experience with a total knee replacement.
You will be prescribed anti-blood clotting medication while in the hospital and possibly for some time after you are discharged. However, if all goes well, you will resume your normal activities within six to eight weeks. You will need to refrain from impact exercises or activities like jogging and running to avoid wearing out the prosthesis. Other activities, such as tennis, golfing, and skiing, are fine once you have fully recovered from surgery.
Minimally Invasive Joint Replacement in Naples, Florida
At North Naples Surgery Center, we facilitate minimally invasive partial joint replacement procedures using the most advanced arthroscopic technology. That includes surgery on the most common joints such as the knee, shoulder, hip, elbow, ankle, and wrist, treating conditions like torn ligaments, arthritic damage, bone fractures, and rotator cuff injuries. Our providers include a highly skilled team of anesthesiologists and medical staff.
Our surgery center, which is located on the third floor of the Executive Medical Center in Naples, Florida, is designed and equipped to specifically handle these types of procedures and accommodates both surgical tenants within our building, as well as other local surgeons.
To learn how you can become associated with our ambulatory surgery center, call North Naples Surgery Center today at (239) 529-2811now.
