If you have had an injury to your knee or you are living with chronic knee pain, you may be considering knee replacement surgery. Knee surgery should always be approached with caution, and it is good to get all of the information you can beforehand. There are some surgical options to choose from and it may take some time to find the best procedure for your situation.
Identification
Knee replacement surgery is done in situations where there is severe pain and disability that affects your quality of life. The part of the knee joint that is damaged is removed and replaced with artificial parts.
Unicompartmental (Partial) Knee Replacement
Sometimes the damage to the knee's cartilage occurs in only one section or compartment of the knee. With this procedure, only that part of the bone that is damaged is removed, and it is replaced with a metal or plastic implant. See the picture here from Medlineplus.com.
Total Knee Replacement
In a total knee replacement procedure the entire knee joint is replaced with a metal or plastic joint. The ends of the bones at the joint are resurfaced and a metal plate is put in place. Then the artificial ball and socket device is attached and allows the joint to bend and move. See the picture here from Medicinenet.com.
Considerations
Unicompartmental knee replacement surgery is used in patients who are in good health and are not obese. Typical candidates are younger than 60 or those with sedentary lifestyles. Total knee replacements are usually done in the elderly. It is not always a good option for younger patients, as they may wear out the prosthesis.
Benefits
The benefits of a unicompartmental knee replacement surgery are faster healing time, fewer complications and more of the natural joint is left intact. This means your range of motion is less affected by the procedure. Total knee replacements are a better option for those with an inflammatory type of arthritis or who are overweight.
Tags: replacement surgery, Knee Replacement, knee replacement, knee replacement surgery, replaced with, damaged removed, damaged removed replaced