Dr. Gens Goodman, DO
Hip and Knee Replacement Surgery

PARTIAL KNEE REPLACEMENT

 Dr. Goodman is at the forefront of research of unicompartmental, or partial, knee replacements. This procedure greatly benefits patients who have localized types of knee arthritis. In this procedure only the inside (medial), outside (lateral), or patellofemoral (front) portion of the knee is replaced.  We do not recommend this surgery for mild problems; rather, we suggest it to patients whose pain persists after conservative treatment. Unicompartmental knee replacements have been performed for over 20 years. In recent years, doctors have developed new instruments and implants that have made it possible to perform this operation through much smaller incisions (2 to 4 inches). The benefits of this minimally invasive unicompartmental knee surgery are numerous.  Because the surgery is less extensive and because healthy portions of the knee are maintained, the procedure is safer and less painful. Patients recover more easily and quickly. Because there is less bleeding and pain, the procedure can be done safely with a one night hospital stay, or as an outpatient, rather than the longer stay required for a total knee replacement. Most patients can go home the day after or even the day of a partial knee replacement.

 Looking to a patient’s future, another benefit of minimally invasive unicondylar surgery, especially for today’s active patients, is the ease with which it can be changed to a complete replacement if the first replacement wears out. In most instances, the revision of a unicompartmental surgery is straightforward and yields very good results. Although we can be 80-90% sure before an operation that a partial knee replacement is best for a patient, we make the final decision between a partial or total knee replacement during surgery. We only will opt to perform a total knee replacement if the patient’s arthritis proves to be so severe that a total knee replacement is necessary to improve knee function and relieve pain.