Dr. Dan Albright, an orthopedic surgeon, discusses the difference between a partial knee replacement and a total knee replacement and when he would use a partial knee replacement over a total knee replacement.
Summary of video:
So why are partial knee replacements better than total knee replacements? There’s some debate and controversy there, but here’s Dr. Albright’s opinion.
There are many times when the inner part of the knee has worn out and it is only necessary to replace the inner part of the knee. And I think in those cases that’s better than performing a total knee replacement.
I have several patients where I have done a total knee replacement on one knee and then on that same patient I’ve done a partial knee replacement in a different year. Without exception they always like their partial knee replacements better.
Partial knee replacements move more. They flex more and they feel more natural. That sounds like a cliché, but when you replace only part of the knee it feels more natural. Patients tell me that and there’s literature to support that.
Total knees are great in the right situation. A lot of people don’t need a total knee. A lot of people just need the inner part replaced because that’s all that’s worn out and the benefit is, I believe, better motion, it feels more like your normal knee because you have only one third of it replaced – the rest is good. There are good twenty years success rates on partial knee replacement.
I try to do a partial whenever I can if only the inner part of the knee is worn out. The patients love it. It’s a smaller surgery, it’s a safer surgery, it has less risks than a total knee, and it works really nicely.
For more information on knee replacement surgery, contact Dr. Dan Albright at 919-863-6808.
