Many patients who suffer from arthritis most likely will eventually face joint replacement in the affected areas. What these patients may not realize about their joint replacement is the options. While your surgeon will ultimately decide what’s best for your situation, it is always good to be armed with as much knowledge as possible. When it comes to arthritis in the knees, there are 2 different options for surgery – partial knee replacement and total knee replacement.

If the arthritis in your knee has only affected the inner portion, or “medial side”, then partial knee replacement may be an option for you. Partial knee replacement is also commonly called “unicompartmental” or “UNI” surgery since it only replaces one compartment of the knee. One limitation that many patients face when it comes to partial knee replacement is that the outer portion of the knee or “lateral side” must still have healthy cartilage. Most times, partial knee replacement is performed on younger patients in order to postpone total knee replacement. Partial knee replacement is considered a lot less invasive than total replacement surgery.

The other option for knee replacement surgery is the total knee replacement. This surgery is performed on patients who entire knee joint has been affected by arthritis. In this type of surgery, every part of the knee is replaced with prosthetic components. Many patients who undergo total knee replacement surgery do not have to have their patella replaced as this part of the knee often stays intact. Patella replacement however, is an option for patients who need the extra stability. While total knee replacement is an invasive surgery with a long recovery, it can truly improve the quality of life for someone suffering from the pain of arthritis.