Knee Replacement Surgery

Total Knee Replacement Procedures

It’s not surprising that knee replacement is the most common form of joint replacement in the United States. Knee injuries are common in both active and inactive people. Even without experiencing a knee injury, many people develop arthritis in their knees as they age.

Before deciding to have a knee replacement, most patients with knee pain try nonsurgical treatments, including medication, orthotics, injections, and arthroscopic knee surgery. If a person continues to experience chronic, debilitating knee pain, knee replacement may be their best option.

During knee replacement surgery, damaged cartilage and bone are removed and replaced with man-made prostheses. A specially formulated bone cement is used to secure the prostheses.

Depending on which areas of the knee are damaged, prostheses may be placed in up to three parts of the knee joint:

• The femur, or lower end of the thigh bone
• The tibia, the larger bone in the lower leg
• The patella, or backside of the knee cap

The DePuy Synthes’ VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution

Everything about the DePuy Synthes' VELYS robot is innovative, starting with its compact size and portability. The robot is mounted to the operating table, allowing it to be moved from one operating room to another within MarinHealth Medical Center. Eliminating the need for preoperative imaging, this first-of-its kind technology allows surgeons to assess the anatomy of a patient’s natural joint at the start of the actual surgery. Planning software combines graphs and visualization to predict joint stability and range of motion. In doing this, it is able to customize the alignment of the implant relative to the soft tissues around the knee. Interoperability extends to the actual procedure, guiding the surgeon to cut bone with exceptional precision. The result is an exceptionally natural, comfortable fit.

The DePuy Synthes’ VELYS Robotic-Assisted Solution was gifted to MarinHealth by the Lindskog Foundation, in honor of the late Eva Lindskog

Partial Knee Replacement

If only certain areas of cartilage are damaged, it may be possible to perform a partial, or unicompartmental ("uni") knee replacement, in which only the affected portions of the knee are replaced. In order to be a good candidate for this procedure, the patient’s arthritis needs to be limited to one side of the knee.

Compared to total knee replacement, partial knee replacement usually causes less blood loss and postsurgical pain, and a faster recovery. Because the healthy parts of the knee are not removed, a partial knee replacement may bend better and feel “more natural.”