In a healthy knee, the joint is lined with cartilage, acting as a cushion and a smooth surface for easy movement. Arthritis destroys the cartilage making movement difficult and painful. A knee has three compartments to It (medial, lateral and patellofemoral) and in some circumstances the damage is limited to only one compartment. In partial knee replacement only the damaged compartments are replaced, preserving the remainder of the joint including the ligaments and tendons.
Why choose a partial knee replacement?
For a number of reasons, I may recommend a partial knee replacement as opposed to a total knee replacement. These include:
- A faster recovery – patients undergoing partial knee replacement spend less time in hospital and are able to walk earlier with more comfort.
- A more ‘natural’ feeling knee
- Smaller incision
- Better movement in the knee
- Bone conserving – less bone is removed in partial knee replacement
- Reduced bleeding
- Lower complications
Who is a good candidate for partial knee replacement?
Ideal patients for partial knee replacement are when patients have damage localised to one area of the joint, with normal ligaments in the knee and minimal deformity. In many cases, the osteoarthritis within the knee is too widespread to consider partial knee replacement, in which case a total knee replacement (hyperlink) is recommended.
Robotics and partial knee replacement
In recent years robotic-assisted knee replacement has been used to optimise the positioning of the partial knee replacement within the knee.
