Tissue Sparing Partial Knee Resurfacing

Approximately 15 million people in the United States suffer from severe osteoarthritis of the knee. Many of these people have arthritis severe enough to prevent full participation in what would be an otherwise active lifestyle. Some people give up sports, others give up walking even a few blocks at a time.

The three compartments of the knee.

When arthritis becomes severe, pain can be intolerable. Eventually, activity limitation becomes unacceptable, so many people pursue total knee replacement. Total knee replacement has been the gold standard for surgical treatment of knee arthritis, and up to 500,000 knee replacements are performed each year in the United States.

Total knee replacement is a successful surgical procedure, but it replaces the entire joint, even when parts of joint remain healthy. The knee joint consists of three compartments: the medial compartment, the lateral compartment, and the patellofemoral compartment. It is estimated that up to 25-30% of patients with severe knee arthritis actually have arthritis limited to one or two of these compartments.

Frequently, arthritis is limited to the medial compartment, only. In other cases, arthritis may be limited to the patellofemoral or lateral compartments. Many patients have arthritis limited to the medial and patellofemoral comapartments, while the lateral compartment is preserved. For all of these patients, a total knee replacement would require removal of healthy tissue.

Partial knee resurfacing focuses on arthritic tissue, and leaves healthy cartilage and ligaments in place. Unlike total knee replacement, partial knee resurfacing does not sacrifice the anterior or posterior cruciate ligaments. Preservation of normal anatomy allows for a knee that functions and feels more like a normal knee.

Compared to patients undergoing total knee replacement, patients treated with partial knee resurfacing experience less postoperative pain, and they experience an earlier postoperative recovery. Some patients leave the hospital on the day of surgery, and many have resumed an active lifestyle within four to six weeks.