Types of Total Knee Replacement

There are different types of total knee replacement and the one that you will require will very much depend on the extent of the injury to your knee. In most instances this damage to the knee will have been caused by a disease process like arthritis. The extent of this damage can vary and this means that the surgery you require will also vary. In the main there are three types of total knee replacement that we will be examining here; traditional open total knee replacement, minimally invasive total knee replacement, and bilateral knee replacement. We will be examining each of these here and explaining why they might be required.

The Types of Total Knee Replacement

Here are the main types of total knee replacement you are likely to hear about;

Minimally Invasive Total Knee Replacement
Minimally invasive total knee replacement is becoming increasingly popular because it brings so many benefits for the patient. The fact that it is minimally invasive means that there are much smaller incisions created to perform the procedure. The benefit of this is not only that it leaves a lot less scaring but it also reduces the risk of infection. In most cases those having minimally invasive total knee replacement will recover faster and be out of hospital sooner.

Traditional Total Knee Replacement
A lot of people will require the traditional total knee replacement for a number of reasons. It could be that the damage to their knee joint is just too much for the minimally invasive option to be feasible. The traditional total knee replacement involves opening up the knee area using bigger incisions that will leave a bigger scar. There are also likely to be increased risks with this approach when compared to a minimally invasive operation; although this is still a very common procedure.

Bilateral Knee Replacement Surgery
Arthritis usually affects both knees and this is why bilateral knee replacement surgery is often required. This surgery could involve either of the other two types of total knee replacement. When we talk about bilateral surgery we mean that it will be done on both knees at the same time. This is because it just won’t be as effective to do surgery on one knee if the other knee is also bad. In fact it could cause new problems because having one good knee might put added strain on the hip when you walk. This is why where possible your surgeon will choose the bilateral option.

Some Final Thoughts on the Types of Total Knee Replacement

The different types of total knee replacement are required because patients will have different needs. It will be up to your surgical team to decide which of these the best option for you is and they will advise you accordingly. As well as these different types of knee replacement you will also find that different surgical consultants will have their own way of doing things – although the basics of the operation will remain the same.