Unicompartmental Knee Surgery

A painful knee is a common problem faced by middle aged and elderly population. A major chunk of elderly population of the world is facing this problem due to knee arthritis. Orthopedic surgeons have discovered a number of ways of knee surgeries. With the help of these new techniques surgeons can alleviate pain in the knees and help patients return to their normal life. Unicompartmental knee surgery is one such technique which helps in eradicating pain in the knees by treating the damaged part of the knee joint.

Knee joint is one of the largest joints in human body and any surgery which involves knee, requires precision and comprehensibility. Orthopedic surgeons, hence try all the basic treatments such as anti-inflammatory medicines, physical therapy and cortisone injections before going for knee replacement surgery.

Unicompartmental knee surgery as a popular type of knee surgery

Unicompartmental knee surgery has emerged as a popular type of knee surgery which involves fewer complications. Since only the damaged part of the knee joint is replaced in a unicompartmental knee surgery, it is also known as partial knee replacement surgery. In a unicompartmental knee surgery, either the outside or the inside compartment of the knee is replaced with an artificial knee joint implant. A unicompartmental knee surgery is also known as unicondylar knee replacement surgery and unicompartmental knee arthroplasty.

Treatment under a unicompartmental knee surgery

In a unicompartmental knee surgery, the patient is treated under local anesthesia or general anesthesia. The new arthroscopic technique allows the surgeon to have an inside view of the knee joint during the surgery which results into smaller incisions and lesser loss of blood. Unicompartmental knee surgery removes only the damaged part of the bone which can take about one to two hours. The damaged part of the bone is replaced with a prosthetic (artificial implant) which is made up of metal and plastic. Orthopedic surgeons can fit the implant into the bone by slightly shaping the shin bone and the thigh bone. After placing the implant into the proper bone area, the knee joint is secured with the help of bone cement. Soon after the completion of a unicompartmental knee surgery, the wound is stitched so as to catalyze the recovery.

Recovery period after a unicompartmental knee surgery

Patients can go back home one day after the surgery. A shorter and efficient recovery period is the prime benefit of a unicompartmental knee surgery. There are less number of scars and small surgical cuts involved in the surgery. This type of surgery allows better motion of the knee after surgery and a shorter hospital stay.

The first unicompartmental knee surgery was performed in 1970s. Since then, the surgery has undergone significant developments and most of the patients and surgeons prefer a unicompartmental knee surgery over a total knee replacement surgery. Risks of unicompartmental knee surgery include reflex sympathetic dystrophy, deep vein thrombosis, implant failure, infection and pain in the knee joint which seldom occur.