Knee replacement surgery is an orthopedic procedure used to replace the damaged parts of the knee joint with artificial parts, usually recommended to patients with advanced-stage arthritis. It may be done the traditional way, which is also called “open surgery,” or it may be done using a minimally-invasive method. Over 600,000 minimally-invasive surgeries are performed each year in the country. With a successful recovery, patients with knees damaged by arthritis can experience relief from pain and increase their mobility. If you’re wondering how knee replacement surgery can be minimally-invasive, here’s how it works.
Minimally-Invasive Knee Replacement Surgery
The difference between a traditional replacement surgery or a minimally invasive surgery begins with the size of the incision. In minimally-invasive knee replacement surgery, the incision can be as small as three inches in size (unlike the eight to 10-inch incision needed in an open knee surgery) to access your shinbone and thigh bone, avoiding trauma to the tendons and muscles in the quadriceps as much as possible by pushing them aside and not cutting them. The orthopedic surgeon will also be careful not to dislocate the femur from the tibia as they remove the damaged portions of bone. Next, they will replace the damaged parts with prostheses — metal components for the joint surface and plastic in between for smooth gliding. The tools used in the procedure are smaller and specialized.
Minimally invasive knee surgery may be performed in an outpatient setting, which enables the patient to go home on the same day of the procedure but is mostly performed as an inpatient procedure. To make a complete recovery, patients need to undergo physical rehabilitation.
Advantages
Minimally invasive knee replacement surgery has several advantages that include less bleeding and bruising, a reduced rate of complications, less postoperative pain, and a faster recovery. In the hands of a doctor with advanced surgical training, knee replacement surgery has very high success and patient satisfaction rates.
As great as minimally invasive knee replacement surgery is, not everyone is a suitable candidate. A thorough evaluation must be done by an orthopedic surgeon, who will consider factors such as the patient’s overall health and medical history. At the very least, patients should be of normal weight and motivated to participate in a rehabilitation program.
Minimally-Invasive Knee Replacement in North Dakota
Is your knee pain becoming unbearable? Fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons Dr. Timothy J. Bopp and Dr. Brian P. Dahl at The Bone & Joint Center specialize in surgical treatments of the knee and have performed numerous partial and total knee surgeries. Our minimally-invasive surgeries are inpatient procedures, which allow us to keep close watch of our patients.
If you want to find out if you’re a good candidate for minimally-invasive knee replacement surgery and what other options are available to you, schedule an appointment with Dr. Bopp or Dr. Dahl. Call The Bone & Joint Center at (701) 946-7400 or (866) 900-8650 or use our convenient appointment request form. We look forward to your call!
