If your doctor recommends knee replacement surgery for your condition, then it’s time for you to learn about the different options available. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, knee replacement is one of the most common procedures performed on millions of individuals suffering from joint pain, stiffness, and mobility challenges every year.
To make it easier for you to become more comfortable and informed about your treatment needs, consider the following information about knee replacement options.
What Is Knee Replacement Surgery?
Also known as knee arthroplasty, the procedure helps improve symptoms due to arthritis, aging, injury, and other ailments and conditions that cause damage or erosion to the components of the knee joint. Knee replacement surgery involves removing defects within the knee, resurfacing the area, and installing special medical-grade plastic/metal components. Replacing the knee with a prosthesis enables the patient to regain strength, function, and range of motion with less pain and stiffness so they can resume moving the affected limb smoothly.
White Rock Medical Center orthopedic specialists are well-versed in performing various types of knee replacement procedures.
What Are My Knee Replacement Options?
As a knee replacement candidate, you have a few treatment options to consider: traditional, minimally invasive, and robotic-assisted. Below is a brief introduction to each type of knee replacement procedure available for orthopedic patients at White Rock Medical Center.
Traditional Knee Replacement
Traditional knee replacement involves the surgeon making large incisions into the soft portion of the knee to access and remove damaged or diseased cartilage and bone and joint tissues. The surgeon then inspects the remaining bony structures of the knee to determine which areas need to be smoothed and resurfaced to provide a proper foundation for the replacement parts. Though traditional knee replacement procedures are still quite common, most surgery candidates opt for less invasive options.
You should be aware of the following risks that can be associated with conventional knee replacement surgery:
- More pain
- Longer hospital stay
- Longer recovery times
- Anesthesia complications
- Infections
- Wound impairments
- Nerve damage
- Clotting disorders
- Longer rehabilitation time
- Prosthesis alignment and placement concerns
Many people who undergo traditional knee replacement have uncomplicated recoveries. However, due to the amount of tissue, cartilage, muscle, and tendon manipulation and trauma, people often spend more time healing and rebuilding their strength before they can resume their normal functions.
Minimally Invasive and Robotic-Assisted Knee Replacement
Minimally invasive knee replacement procedures involve laparoscopic techniques and robotic-assisted surgery technology. Many patients opt for minimally invasive knee arthroscopy because of its advantages over the alternatives. Though ideal for most knee and joint replacement situations, the procedure is not suitable for certain patients, such as those who are obese or have certain risk factors.
Robotic-assisted knee replacement surgery is performed by a highly skilled orthopedic surgeon who uses the surgical arms of the ROSA knee system to execute the procedure with better precision and accuracy than possible in alternative surgery types.
The ROSA knee system offers patients several distinct advantages to traditional and alternative knee and joint replacement and treatment options, including:
- The ROSA knee robotics-assisted surgery system is essentially an extension of the surgeon’s hands. It allows for greater stability, dexterity, and range of motion to improve treatment efficacy and patient outcomes.
- Recovery is less cumbersome and easier to manage for patients because less invasive procedures require fewer and much smaller incisions than conventional surgery. Smaller incisions are more tolerable and manageable for patients.
- Due to the use of robotic-assisted technology via the ROSA knee system, knee replacement patients experience less blood loss and tissue and nerve damage on the operating table and during their recoveries.
- Patients experience less pain and activity restrictions during the postoperative and recovery phase. Recovery is much quicker, and rehabilitation requirements are not as extensive, so that patients can resume their regular movements and activities much faster.
Minimally invasive and robotic-assisted knee replacement is best suited for patients who are:
- Not overweight
- Do have not severe arthritis or osteoporosis
- Without severe limb or joint deformities or defects
Benefits of ROSA robotic-assisted knee replacement surgery include:
Lower treatment costs – When considering knee replacement and alternative treatment options for joint pain, movement impairments, and stiffness, it helps to consider short- and long-term medical expenses. Robotic-assisted surgery enables patients to spend less time recovering so they can get back to work or leisure activities faster to minimize their medical costs.
Fewer follow-up appointments and rehabilitation visits – A critical aspect of knee replacement treatment is rehabilitation. Physical therapy is necessary to encourage the limb to accept the prosthesis and to strengthen and stabilize the muscles and ligaments of the replacement knee. Multiple follow-up sessions are required to identify and correct potential issues and optimize recovery. Traditional knee replacement patients have more medical appointments and additional treatment considerations.
Better outcomes – Robotic minimally invasive knee arthroscopy patients may have lower infection rates. Their knee implants may also be less likely to fail or create additional limb or joint health issues that may require additional or more invasive repairs in the future.
Which Knee Replacement Option Is Right for You?
When choosing a knee replacement option, it helps to consider how your current knee and joint issues impact your daily and overall quality of life and how beneficial knee replacement surgery can be.
At White Rock Medical Center, our orthopedic specialists understand how frustrating and stressful moving your body can be when if you experience pain, stiffness, and issues from injuries, growing older, or inflammatory or chronic medical conditions like arthritis or bone density loss.
Our surgical technology for robotic-assisted and minimally invasive procedures rivals major hospital systems. Our advanced orthopedic program is equipped with state-of-the-art surgical technology and managed by compassionate and experienced orthopedic experts located right in the heart of the East Dallas community.
White Rock Medical Center is currently the only medical system to perform knee replacement procedures with the ROSA knee system inside I-635.
To learn more about minimally invasive and advanced knee replacement options that are best suited for your situation, contact your doctor today!