What Is A Partial Knee Replacement?

A partial knee replacement is a surgery in which a damaged part of your knee is replaced. The process of replacing that damaged part is called partial knee replacement. In this, either the inner part, the outer part, or part of the knee cap of the knee can be replaced. The surgery to replace the entire knee joint is called a complete knee implant.

You can consider a knee implant if the medicine taken for your knee pain does not increase your body weight. When you visit your doctor, he or she will ask you questions about the area of knee pain. They will then check your walking speed and knee stability. A knee X-ray will partially determine your eligibility for a knee implant. Whereas you have to tell everything clearly to your surgeon, otherwise he will not have any information about these things. So, you have to give him all the information from the beginning. Previously the partial knee implant was only considered for patients over the age of 60 who become immobile.

What Is The Procedure For Partial Knee Replacement?

Partial knee replacement surgery removes the damaged tissue and bone in the knee joint. It is performed when arthritis is present in a part of the knee and those parts are replaced with an artificial implant. The rest of your knee is secured. Partial knee implants are often performed with smaller incisions, so they are less costly. Before surgery, you are given medicine that does not cause pain. This can be done in two ways.

• General Anesthesia – You will be asleep and pain-free during the procedure.
• Regional anesthesia – This will numb your lower back. You will also get medicines to relax you or make you feel sleepy.

The surgeon will make a cut on your knee. This cut is about 3 to 5 inches (7 to 13 cm.) long. Next, the surgeon looks at the entire knee joint. If you have damage to more than one part of your knee, you may need a total knee implant. Most of the time, this is unnecessary, as tests are done before the procedure will have shown this injury.

• Bad bone and tissue are removed.
• The part made of plastic and metal is placed on the knee.
• Once the part is in place, it is attached to the bone.
• The wound is closed with stitches.

What Happens After A Partial Knee Replacement?

You may go home the same day or may need to stay in the hospital for a day. You can put all your weight on your knee right away. After you return home, you should do what the doctor has told you to do. This includes going to the bathroom, how to walk, climbing stairs, assisted walking, etc. You should seek the help of a physical therapist to improve the range of motion and strengthen the muscles around the knee.

Why Is Partial Knee Replacement Done?

There are many different ways a bone can fracture. A crack in the bone is called a fracture. The different types of fractures and broken bones are as follows:

• The most common reason for replacing a knee joint is to ease the severe pain of arthritis. You may need it if you find it more difficult to perform these tasks in your daily life.
• You cannot sleep through the night because of knee pain.
• Your knee pain prevents you from doing everyday tasks.
• Your knee pain has not gotten better with other treatments.
• You need to understand what the surgery and recovery will be like.

What Are The Risks Of Partial Knee Replacement?

A partial knee implant is faster than a total knee replacement and preserves the limit of knee function as it protects healthy tissue and bone in the knee. For these reasons, patients are more satisfied with a partial knee implant than a total knee implant. They are still hoping for a total knee implant so they may need it sometime in the future. There is also blood loss during surgery, and the knee tends to move faster with a partial knee implant. The risks of this surgery are as follows.

• Infection may occur at the surgical site
• It may increase the risk of blood clotting
• You may feel stiffness in some knee joints
• Liquid buildup in knee joint
• The frustration of the implant parts to attach the knee
• Nerve and blood vessel damage
• Pain in knee

How Should I Take Care Of Myself After A Partial Knee Replacement?

After this complete procedure, you can start moving the knee the day after the surgery. While in the hospital and for two to four weeks after discharge, you can get therapy from a physical therapist to move the knee so that you can get quick relief and don’t have problems with movement.

You are usually discharged a day or two after surgery. You will be back to full activity in about 6 to 8 weeks if all goes well. The same cannot be said for impact exercises or jogging/running. However, activities like tennis, skipping and other sports are fine.

Partial knee replacement recovery