In the past, partial knee replacement was for patients over 60 years old whose ligaments were in good shape, had little knee deformity and could move their knee pretty well. Today, the procedure is being done on younger patients who have pain and other symptoms in one part of the knee.

This procedure has been revolutionary to orthopaedics giving many patients the ability to return to function and enjoy their lives with implants lasting about 10-15-years. While the surgery and recovery are longer, the lifetime of the implants is much greater than in partial knee replacements.

Both partial and total knee replacements can be highly successfully for patients who are good candidates. It is important to discuss the risks and benefits of each type of surgery with your surgeon so that your expectations
are in line with the procedure you elect to have.

Remember that both of these procedures are replacements, and you should follow the activity restrictions your surgeon provides you.

Neither procedure is designed to hold up to the rigors of high-impact sports.

Most current data suggest that both hip and knee replacements have an annual failure rate between 0.5-1.0%. This means that if you have your total joint replaced today, you have a 90-95% chance that your joint will last 10 years, and an 80-85% that it will last 20 years. With improvements in technology, these numbers may improve.

Despite such improvements it is important to maintain long-term follow-up with your surgeon to assure your replacement is functioning appropriately.

The ball can be composed of either metal (cobalt chromium alloy) or ceramic, and the liner can be made of plastic (polyethylene), metal, or ceramic. The ball and liner can then be used in different combinations and are named for the respective ball liner combination (metal on poly, ceramic on poly, ceramic on ceramic, etc.).

In 2015, the vast majority of bearings utilized a polyethylene liner with either a metal or ceramic head, with other combinations being used with less frequency. You can discuss these differences with your surgeon to determine which implant is best for you.

Early range of motion and rapid rehabilitation protocols are also designed to reduce early stiffness and pain, making the procedure in general much less painful than in years past. You may have relatively mild pain following the procedure, or you may have a more difficult time than others. Everyone is unique and handles and perceives pain differently.

The most common approach today is referred to as the “posterior approach,” which is done from the back of the hip. Some more recent improvements to this approach (small incision and less tissue trauma) have been called “mini posterior approach.” Another currently popular approach is known as the “anterior approach,” which is performed from the front of the hip. The lateral approach is less frequently used but a viable approach for the surgery.

The orthopaedic implant industry has developed a number of innovative technologies in an effort to improve the outcomes of total joint replacement surgery. 
Here are specific implant design terms:
• Gender-specific: This refers to a modified implant design that accounts for average anatomic differences between men’s and women’s knees. Most manufacturers have incorporated similar modifications in their newer designs, which allow for more sizing options so that the prosthesis can be more accurately fit to the patient’s native anatomy and recreate the natural function of the knee.
• Rotating platform: This refers to a plastic bearing that independently rotates on a metal tray on which it is seated. More often, the plastic bearing locks into the metal tray – referred to as a “fixed bearing.” Some theoretical advantages to the rotating platform concept when it was initially designed was that it could reduce the wear of the plastic bearing, reduce the rate of loosening of the metal parts, and better replicate how a patient’s knee works (kinematics). Most current data shows that after five to ten years in use, there does not appear to be any difference between rotating platform and fixed bearing designs in any of these outcomes.

Early range of motion and rapid rehabilitation protocols are also designed to reduce early stiffness and pain, making the procedure in general much less painful than in years past. You may have relatively mild pain following the procedure, or you may have a more difficult time than others. Everyone is unique and handles and perceives pain differently.

Treatment will be based on how far the disease has progressed and how bad and how long your joint has hurt.

It is important to understand that not all hip and knee pain is osteoarthritis, and there are other diagnoses and treatment options depending on the underlying cause of your pain.

Even though there is no cure for the disease, we can treat the symptoms you’re experiencing and provide significant pain relief and improvement in function. It is important to understand the extent of your osteoarthritis and how this relates to your symptoms and treatment options.