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If you have knee pain due to advanced arthritis that x-rays show is only the inside or outside compartments of your knee, then you are a good candidate for partial knee replacement. Legacy orthopedic surgeons considered the risk of partial knee replacement not worth the reward. Now all that has changed. With robotic assistance —and surgeons skilled in minimally invasive surgery— partial knee replacement now has among the highest patient satisfaction of any orthopedic surgery.
Doctors often divide the knee into three compartments. Seen from behind, the inside compartment is the joint between the thigh bone and the shin bone on the inside of your leg. The outside compartment is the junction between the same bones on the outside . The third compartment is where the kneecap meet the thigh bone. Arthritis can strike any one or all three of these compartments. Severe arthritis that is disabling despite physical therapy in two or more compartments is treated by total knee replacement. However, if the severe arthritis is in just the inside or the outside compartment alone, then replacing the whole knee is not needed. In these cases, a partial knee replacement is the best option.
The advantages of robotically assisted partial knee replacement make it well worth the risk of requiring a second surgery. There are several advantage of partial knee replacements compared to total knee replacement as listed in the table. The primary disadvantage of partial knee replacement in the past was that they didn’t last as long: in a study done on Australians the likelihood of having a revision surgery seventeen years after total knee replacement is 8%, whereas the risk of revision after partial replacement was 26%. However, the use of robotic assistance has improved the outcome of partial knee replacement and lowered the risk of revision. With robotic assistance you can now get all the advantages of partial knee replacement without the historical disadvantage of an unnecessarily higher risk of having a second surgery.The advantages of robotically assisted partial knee replacement make it well worth the risk of requiring a second surgery. There are several advantage of partial knee replacements compared to total knee replacement as listed in the table. The primary disadvantage of partial knee replacement in the past was that they didn’t last as long: in a study done on Australians the likelihood of having a revision surgery seventeen years after total knee replacement is 8%, whereas the risk of revision after partial replacement was 26%. However, the use of robotic assistance has improved the outcome of partial knee replacement and lowered the risk of revision. With robotic assistance you can now get all the advantages of partial knee replacement without the historical disadvantage of an unnecessarily higher risk of having a second surgery.
Advantages of Partial Knee Replacement
Robotic assistance assures you are getting the best total joint replacement available today with a personalized surgical experience. For the Stryker robot the process begins by obtaining a high-definition CT scan of your knee. This will be uploaded so the robot’s computer can construct a 3D model of your knee. The model will be used to help select the implants which will give your knee the best possible range of motion once implanted. During surgery the robot also assists to give your surgeon superhuman accuracy while removing the diseased bone.
Preparing for partial knee replacement surgery is easy. Three months before surgery make sure you stop smoking and begin a well-balanced diet. Ten days before surgery be sure you have a plan for stopping any blood thinner with your primary care doctor or surgeon’s office. Prepare your home with 7 days cooking and cleaning done and ready before surgery. One of our nurses will call and review your medical fitness for surgery a couple days out. Be sure and ask them any questions you have about your home or medications on the day of the knee replacement. Stop eating and drinking at midnight before surgery. The operation is done under a spinal, but you will need a ride home after the procedure. Dr. Amy and Ashley will get you ready for surgery here:
Partial knee replacement surgery is done under in our ambulatory surgery centers, so hospitalization is not required. By having your surgery in an ambulatory center, you avoid hospital errors, have a lower risk of infection with COVID-19 as well as in your new joint. The anesthesiologist typically performs a spinal anesthetic, which enables you to take your first steps within 90 minutes of the knee replacement surgery and to actually walk out of the surgery center yourself. Walking right after surgery reduces to the point of eliminating the risk of developing blood clots in your legs which can be fatal if they go to your lungs. That means having ambulatory surgery is not only less painful, but it may also save your life.
The recovery after partial knee replacement is shorter than after total knee replacement. While every patient is given a walker when they leave the surgery center, most no longer use them to assist in walking 1-2 days after their minimally invasive robotic assisted partial knee replacement surgery. Home exercises shown in a video series by our own Dr. Amy and Ashley direct you to in how to exercise and increase your activity after surgery to ensure the best result possible. In partial knee replacement surgery, the surgeon only removes bone from the single arthritic compartment; therefore, they remove only half as much bone for a partial knee replacement (single compartment) as a total knee replacement (two compartments). Half as much bone removal means half as much bone to heal. Most patients are ready to return to light-duty work 1-2 weeks after knee replacement, moderate duty 3-6 weeks later, and heavy duty after 12 weeks.
Once fully recovered from minimally invasive robotic assisted partial knee replacement patient are extremely satisfied and have no permanent restrictions. Partial knee replacement surgery has the highest patient satisfaction reported (91%) of any orthopedic surgery. The level of satisfaction after partial replacement is much higher than that of total knee replacement (74%).
We’re committed to solving your knee pain problems with the least invasive treatment possible.
We utilize the only implant that’s approved to last for 30 years.
We use the robot on every knee surgery, which means a personalized implant selection that results in a better outcome.
Partial knee replacements are half the surgery and recovery time of a total knee.
No hospital stay means a much lower risk of infection.
We have over 30 to choose from. All are board certified, and the one we want to operate on us or our family. The right surgeon is the one who specializes in doing the surgery you need, at a conveniently located facility, that works with your insurance. Select your location and operation to find the best surgeon for you: