Knee Replacement
What does a knee replacement involve? And what’s the difference between a total and partial knee replacement?
What is a knee replacement?
Although you may know the procedure as a ‘knee replacement’, knee surgeons don’t really call it that, because the procedure isn’t designed to replace the knee; it’s designed to resurface the worn parts of the joint. The correct term for a knee replacement is ‘knee arthroplasty’.
During the procedure, your Gloucestershire knee surgeon will add hardwearing implants to the ends of the thighbone and shinbone, with a plastic bearing in between to enable the joint to move smoothly.
Once in place, bone can no longer grind on bone, removing the cause of osteoarthritis.
Do you need a total or partial knee replacement?
As we explore here, osteoarthritis of the knee involves the wearing away of cartilage in one or more compartments of the knee.
Where just one compartment is affected, you may be suitable for a partial knee replacement. You might also see it described as a ‘half knee’ or ‘uni-compartmental’ knee replacement.
How will you feel after a partial knee replacement?
The specifics vary depending on several factors, especially the type of knee replacement you’ve had, but in general and once your recovery is complete, you should notice the following improvements:
- A significant reduction in pain and discomfort. Many patients say they feel completely pain free
- If your knee ‘locked’ or you felt a catching sensation as part of your osteoarthritis, this should cease
- Everyday activities that may have been made far more difficult/painful by osteoarthritis (e.g. sleeping, walking, climbing the stairs) should become much easier
- In many instances, you may be able to return to the activities you enjoyed pre-arthritis, such as golf, swimming, running, tennis, cycling and skiing
- Any knee deformity caused by arthritis should improve
Which knee implants do you use?
Alex uses the Physica ZUK partial knee system, described by its manufacturer as being “the world’s number one performing uni-compartmental knee” implant with the lowest revision (that is, redo) rate of any partial knee replacement.
For total knee replacements, Alex only uses clinically proven and widely used implants.
Which is better: partial or total knee replacement?
It’s less a question of ‘better’ and more about which is most appropriate for you. Typically, when you have a partial knee replacement at our Gloucestershire knee clinic, your procedure will be quicker, hospital time shorter and recovery time swifter than with a total knee replacement. The risk of complications, although low for both procedures, is lower for a partial knee replacement.
It’s also true that patients with partial knee replacements tend to enjoy greater function with their new knees, often to the point of even forgetting they’ve got a ‘replacement’ knee.
If, however, you have more than one compartment of the knee affected by osteoarthritis, a total knee replacement may be your only viable option, and it’s a perfectly good one.
How long will your knee replacement last?
Data now suggests that 70% of partial knee replacements last 25 years. For total knee replacements, that figure is above 80%.
One reason for the difference may be that partial knee replacements are seen as being an increasingly viable option for younger, often more active patients, which means the implant has more ‘punishment’ to put up with. Fortunately, once a partial knee implant is spent, it can be replaced by a total knee replacement, giving you the potential for decades of pain-free knees.
Book your knee replacement
To discuss treatment for your osteoarthritis, book an appointment at our Cheltenham knee clinic now.
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Appointments
To make an appointment please either fill in the contact form and you will be called back by our secretary to arrange a convenient appointment time or get in touch directly.
Call Chrissie Holmyard 01242 246549 at Nuffield Health, Cheltenham.
