It is not necessary for everyone who suffers from knee joint inflammation to replace the entire joint, as they can undergo partial knee joint replacement surgery. What is that operation? When is it the appropriate solution for treatment?

Partial knee joint replacement surgery, for whom is it performed?

The problem of knee joint inflammation and osteoarthritis is a common problem at the present time, as a large percentage of individuals suffer from it. This problem appears after the knee cartilage that separates the thigh and leg bones wears away, which increases the friction between them and causes severe pain.

Medical medications may be sufficient to soothe the pain resulting from knee arthritis, but this is not the case with all patients, as some of them have a high rate of joint erosion in one part of the knee and not the other, such as the inner part of the knee being more damaged than the outer part, which It makes replacing the entire joint unnecessary.

The lack of justification for replacing the entire joint is due to the presence of an injury or problem in one part of the knee joint and not the other, so doctors prefer to perform an operation called partial knee joint replacement, and this operation aims to replace the affected part of the joint while leaving the healthy part as it is. he.

In order for the operation to achieve the desired result, there are conditions for performing this surgery, which include:

• The cruciate ligament is safe from any damage.
• The integrity of the outer half of the joint.
• The amount of distortion does not exceed 15 degrees.

Advantages of partial knee replacement surgery

Partial knee replacement surgery has many advantages that make it a better option for treating knee osteoarthritis, the most important of which are:

• Maintaining the patient’s range of motion.
• Knee function is not significantly affected by the operation.
• Reduced blood loss during surgery.
• Fast recovery after the operation.
• Small operation wound.

Risks of Uni-knee joint replacement surgery

Every matter has two sides, a positive side and a negative side, as well as in the process of partial knee joint replacement. As we previously mentioned the positive side of it, which is the advantages, we must also clarify the negative side, or in other words, the risks that may befall the patient after the operation.

The most prominent risks of partial knee replacement surgery that may affect some patients after the operation include the following:

• Bacterial infection at the surgical site.
• Formation of blood clots.
• Feeling pain.
• The operated knee limb becomes loose, which means that the operation has failed.
• Inflammation of the surgical wound.

Procedures before partial knee joint replacement surgery

Before undergoing the operation, the patient must undergo some tests, such as:

• Take an X-ray of the joint to accurately determine the location of joint damage and the defect in the knee.
• Conducting an MRI to evaluate the condition of the knee cartilage.

Steps for partial knee joint replacement

The patient undergoes general or semi-anaesthesia before the operation begins so that he does not feel pain, then the doctor begins implementing the following steps to replace the affected part of the knee joint:

• Making an incision in the skin above the knee joint. The length of the incision ranges between 7.5 and 13 cm.
• Replace the damaged part of the knee with another similar part made of plastic and metal.
• Stitching the wound.

The success rate of partial knee joint replacement surgery

Partial knee joint replacement surgery is one of the successful operations. Over the past ten years, it has achieved a success rate exceeding 95 percent. Therefore, rest assured and contact Dr. Ibrahim Gado, consultant orthopedic and joint surgeon, to book an appointment for a visit.