A partial knee replacement is surgery to replace only one part of a damaged knee. It can replace either the inside (medial) part, the outside (lateral) part, or the kneecap part of the knee.
Partial knee replacement may also be called:
Partial knee replacement may be a good choice if you have arthritis in only one side or part of your knee and:
Most people with knee arthritis have damage to most of their knee joint. They have a surgery called total knee arthroplasty (TKA). This means the entire knee joint is replaced.
Otherwise, the reason to do partial knee replacement is the same as the reason to do total knee replacement.
Two surfaces of the knee joint are replaced on either the inside or the outside of your knee, not on both sides:
Some orthopedic surgeons use some other materials. Some of these are metal on metal, ceramic on ceramic, or ceramic on plastic.
You will not feel any pain during surgery because you will receive anesthesia, medicine that blocks pain. You will have one or a combination of 2 types of anesthesia:
After you receive anesthesia, your surgeon will make an incision (cut) over your knee to open it up. This cut is often 3 to 5 inches long. Your surgeon will:
This surgery usually takes up to 2 hours. This does not including preparing you for surgery beforehand and waking you up from anesthesia.
Most people go home the same day or the day after partial knee-replacement surgery. You can put your full weight on your knee right away. Recovery is quicker and less painful than after a total knee replacement. Most people do not need to stay in a skilled nursing center to continue to recover and receive physical therapy after this surgery.
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