The Advantages of Minimally Invasive Knee Replacement Surgery
Minimally invasive surgery has gained popularity in recent years due to advances in surgical methods and cutting-edge medical technology. When it comes to knee surgery options, physicians and patients alike find that minimally invasive knee replacement surgery is one of the best alternatives to knee replacement procedures of the past. Making smaller incisions, a knee replacement doctor is able to reduce the damage to the underlying structure of the knee, which in turn, causes you less pain and prevents further injury. You couldn’t ask for a better solution to the pain and long recovery time of traditional surgeries.
Why Might You Need Minimally Invasive Knee Replacement Surgery?
Since they’re such a fragile part of our bodies, our knees are extremely vulnerable to wear and tear – especially the joints. In light of this, there are more knee replacements performed by orthopedic surgeons than any other type of joint replacement. But, why is that exactly?
Your knee joint consists of three bones that are covered with cartilage and slide over one another: the end of the femur, the top of the tibia and the underside of the patella. Normally the cartilage is a smooth, glistening, white surface, allowing bones to move in an almost frictionless fashion. If you injure your knee or develop a disease like arthritis, your knee cartilage becomes worn and degenerates. It attains a roughened, uneven appearance, and patches of cartilage flake off revealing the bony surface underneath. Early symptoms of knee arthritis include swelling, pressure, and pain after activities such as walking or playing sports. But eventually the disease becomes more severe and any movement brings on pain. Typically, when less invasive therapies failed, total knee replacement was always the recommended treatment. Well, times have changed.
A Better Alternative to Traditional Knee Replacement Surgery
Traditional knee replacement surgery involves a long incision (eight to twelve inches), significant operative pain, extended hospitalization and knee replacement surgery recovery, and lengthy rehabilitation. While people tend to do well with the surgery, the pain and limited activity you experience for the first three months after surgery can be unbearable. Luckily, over the past decade, better alternatives to knee replacement have been developed to successfully implant the very same clinically proven joints. In fact, you may even find that minimally invasive knee replacement surgery is a pleasant experience!
Check out the Lucky Seven Advantages of Mini-incision Knee Replacement:
1. Smaller incision approximately 5” versus 10”, more cosmetic
2. No violation of the quadriceps muscle with the quad-sparing approach
3. Shorter hospital stays (two to four days vs. one week)
4. Shorter recovery, and return to usual activities in four to six weeks
5. Less blood loss and need for transfusions
6. Lower rates of complications such as blood clots, pneumonia, infection and stiffness
7. Less pain and less need for pain medications
What exactly is involved with the surgery?
Joint replacement surgeons, like the ones at Advanced Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute (AOSMI) in Freehold, NJ, are primarily concerned with restoring you to your previous activity level, minimizing pain and facilitating rapid recovery. Surgeons like these utilize the most advanced knee replacement implants available today. Some of the most renowned technologies include:
- The Depuy PFC Sigma Rotating Platform, High Flexion knee system, which combines proven performance in a mobile-bearing design giving you unprecedented knee motion.
- The Smith and Nephew Genesis II Oxinium and Journey knee systems, which have a special ceramic coating for maximum longevity.
- The Zimmer Gender Solutions Knee System, which uses a high flexion design with modification of the femoral component to more precisely match female anatomy. The gender specific sizing often provides for a better fit with less overhang of the implant.
Your surgeon will consider your age, sex, bone quality, and activity level in selecting the optimal treatment for your needs. If it’s been recommended that you get a total knee replacement, you should consider getting more information about this alternative solution. Contact AOSMI at 732.720.2555 or call your local orthopedic surgeon today.
