A partial knee replacement procedure (a type of arthroplasty) is surgery to replace part of the knee joint. The surgeon removes the damaged sections of the knee joint and replaces those with an artificial joint or a prosthetic made of metal and plastic.

The knee joint has three compartments – the medial (inside section), lateral (outside section) and patellofemoral (the patella or area under the kneecap). Partial knee replacement surgeries are performed on the medial and lateral compartments.

Conditions treated with a partial knee replacement

The most common condition for which people need this surgery is arthritis. Most patients opting for partial knee replacement suffer from osteoarthritis. Your doctor may advise partial knee replacement if you are in severe pain and your symptoms don’t improve after trying nonsurgical treatments. These could include:

Joint pain

Stiffness

Compromised mobility

Inability to participate in recreational activities

Who is an ideal candidate for a partial knee replacement?

Knee pain is generally triggered by the wear and tear of a cartilage because of arthritis or an injury. A damaged cartilage means there is no cushion between bones any longer, leading to constant friction, resulting in pain and inflammation. If the cartilage wears away in only one part of your knee, you will experience pain in only one of the three compartments.

The damage to the knee joint is usually assessed through an X-ray. If the imaging reveals that only one of the knee compartments is diseased, the patient may be a candidate for a partial knee replacement.

What are the benefits of a partial knee replacement?

A knee replacement procedure involves a small implantable device made of metal to replace the diseased bone and a smooth specialized plastic piece to act as a cushion between the bones. For patients receiving partial knee replacement, these two implants are smaller than what is used in a total knee replacement.

Most patients experience immediate arthritic pain relief following knee replacement. In case of partial knee replacement, the procedure can actually feel more natural while walking, many patients opine.

Less blood loss, less scarring, quicker recovery, sometimes without even involving overnight stay.

Lower risk of complications like blood clots or infections

Safe, effective way to relieve long-term symptoms like pain and stiffness.

Quick return to mobility and improved quality of life.

Lasts for 12-15 years or longer.

Carries less risk of any for of complications.

Less expensive than total knee replacement

What happens during partial knee replacement?

The surgeon removes damaged cartilage and bone in the compartments being replaced.

The prosthetic components are inserted and fixed with a glue called bone cement.

A plastic spacer is inserted which recreates the smooth cushioning of the damaged or removed cartilage.

While earlier, only a small percentage of patients were deemed fit for partial knee replacement as patients were advised to get the replacement surgery done as late as possible, everything has changed over the last decade. With the introduction of robotic technology, more precise surgical instruments and durable implants, surgery has become from replicable and the results longer-lasting, say the new generation knee-replacement specialists. According to recent studies, almost 25% of patients could be candidates for partial knee replacement surgery.