PARTIAL KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY

DESCRIPTION

A partial knee replacement is an alternative to total knee replacement for some patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. This surgery can be done when the damage is confined to a particular compartment of the knee. A partial knee replacement is a surgical procedure to replace only one part of a damaged knee. It can replace either the inside (medial) part, the outside (lateral) part, or the kneecap (Patellofemoral) part of the knee. Partial knee replacement surgery removes damaged tissue and bone in the knee joint. It is done when arthritis is present in only part of the knee. The areas are replaced with a man-made implant, called a prosthetic. The rest of your knee is preserved. Partial knee replacement are most often done with smaller incisions, so there is less recovery time.

LENGTH OF SURGERY

A partial knee replacement operation usually lasts between 1 and 2 hours.

TYPE OF ANESTHESIA

There are two major anesthesia used during this surgery which are: general anesthesia and regional (spinal or epidural).

RISKS OF PARTIAL KNEE REPLACEMENT

• Blood clots
• Infections
• Nerves or vessel Injury
• Pains
• Reflex sympathetic dystrophy

PARTIAL KNEE REPLACEMENT RECOVERY TIME

Most people recover quickly and have much less pain than they did before surgery. You may fully recover in 2 days. Most people are able to go home the day after surgery. You will also need physical therapy to improve range of motion and strengthen the muscles around the knee. People who have a partial knee replacement recover faster than those who have a total knee replacement.