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Partial knee implants last as long as Total knee replacements which is in the range of 20-25years depending on the age and activity of the individual. It is NOT AN INTERMEDIATE step before undergoing a Total Knee Replacement.
The more commonly damaged Medial compartment(inner) of the knee is replaced and many patients have a fear that the Lateral(outer) compartment will eventually degenerate as well. In fact, after a Partial knee replacement the stress on the Lateral compartment is reduced drastically as the Knee is balanced accurately. The other logical thing is that if the Lateral compartment was well preserved for 50-60 years than the likelihood of it being damaged now with a well supporting Medial compartment is very less.
Some patients feel that why not replace the entire knee when they are anyways undergoing a surgery. The benefits of undergoing a Partial knee replacement are manifolds. Preserving the healthy bone and ligaments gives a much more ‘NATURAL FEEL’ to the knee and ensures a much faster recovery. The chances of complications like infection, thrombosis etc. are also much less in this procedure.
Unlike Robotics and 3D technology, Partial knee Replacement has been performed since 1970’s. The bearing has been so successful that it has not been changed even once! Even in India this surgery has been regularly performed in Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi since the last 15 years.
MICROPLASTY requires a high level of skill and training and hence is not performed by all Joint Replacement surgeons.
Finally, God forbid but if a revision surgery is required than revising a Partial Knee Replacement is much easier than a Total Knee replacement.
A PARTIAL KNEE REPLACEMENT or UNICONDYLAR or UNICOMPARTMENTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT is an alternative to total knee replacement for patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. This surgery can be done when the damage is confined to a particular compartment of the knee.
The indications for partial knee replacement(arthroplasty) are pretty similar to the ones for a Total Knee Replacement.
If the patient has the following symptoms that are nor relieved by medicines or physiotherapy then they should consider undergoing a knee replacement. (partial or total)
Not all patients of arthritis are suitable for Partial knee replacement. Patients with conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis or who have significant deformity are not suitable candidates for this procedure. However, between 40-50 percent of patients who have Osteoarthritis are suitable for partial knee replacement surgery.
Contrary to popular belief, it is not an intermediary step to total knee replacement. The longevity(life) of partial knee replacement is as good as a total knee replacement. The success rate of the partial rate is much higher than total knee replacement in most studies. The following table illustrates the complications of partial knee replacement as compared to total knee replacement.
| AT 10 YEARS | UKA | TKR |
|---|---|---|
| INFECTION | 0.3% | 1.5% |
| DVT(THROMBOSIS) | 0.04% | 0.6% |
| LOOSENING | 0.4% | 1.2% |
| REVISION | 1.2% | 5% |
| SATISFACTION | 95% | 70-80% |
UKA – Unicompartmental or Partial Knee Replacement & TKA – Total Knee Arthroplasty (Replacement)
It is pretty evident that the incidence of complications is significantly lower than total knee replacement. More importantly, the success of surgery is perceived by how satisfied the patient is after the procedure. Various studies have shown that the Partial Knee Replacement patient has a much higher satisfaction score than a total knee replacement.
However, partial knee arthroplasty, being a minimally invasive surgery, requires a much higher degree of surgical expertise as compared to total knee replacement. The procedure is surgeon dependent and hence the success rate is much higher with surgeons who regularly perform this procedure. At Ashutosh hospital, we have been regularly performing partial knee replacement surgery and the outcomes have been very gratifying for all our patients.
If you have been advised to undergo total knee replacement surgery, do enquire about the possibility of Partial knee replacement so that you can get a knee joint that is as close to your native knee as possible.
