Patients that have debilitating knee pain caused by osteoarthritis that is confined to one compartment of the knee may be a candidate for a partial (also called unicondylar knee replacement or patellofemoral knee replacement). Dr. Morrison performs robotically assisted partial and total knee replacement
What is partial knee replacement?
The knee joint is divided into three “compartments”… the medial (inside), lateral (outside), and patellofemoral (knee cap). If a patient has cartilage damage in only one of these compartments, removing the entire joint may not be necessary. In a partial knee replacement, Dr. Morrison removes only the cartilage and bone in the damaged compartment to allow selective resurfacing of the bone to that part of the knee.
How do I know if I am a candidate for partial knee replacement?
If you have knee pain caused by osteoarthritis that significantly affects your quality of life and daily function you may be a candidate for partial knee replacement if:
- Your osteoarthritis is only in one compartment (ask your surgeon to go over your x-rays)
- You have an intact ACL (anterior cruciate ligament), determined by physical exam
- You do not have inflammatory arthritis
- You have near normal knee range of motion
- You do not have severe deformity of your knee alignment
- You are not severely overweight
What are the advantages of partial knee replacement over total knee replacement?
In the appropriate patient, a partial knee replacement allows for a quicker recovery because the surgery is less invasive. Typically, patients with a partial knee replacement have knee function that is closer to normal compared to a total knee because more of the knee IS normal, including the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament).
How long does a partial knee replacement last?
Studies in which large groups of patients with partial knee replacements are tracked over time indicate that the risk of having another operation on the replaced knee is about 85% after 15 years. In other words, 85 out of 100 patients last at least 15 years. This is very similar to outcomes in total knee replacement patients. Newer robotic assisted technologies may improve these outcomes even more.
Why have I heard negative comments about partial knee replacements?
Partial knee replacement is not for everyone with knee arthritis. If you have cartilage damage in other parts of your knee, a partial knee replacement won’t do as well or last as long. Another factor that influences the outcome of your surgery is how many partial knee replacement surgeries your surgeon performs. Better accuracy and outcomes are achieved by surgeons that perform a higher volume of these procedures.
If you would like to discuss your knee arthritis pain with Dr. Morrison in more detail you can make an appointment with him in his Nashville or Brentwood office by calling 615-342-0038.
