Replacing a damaged knee joint with a prosthesis, through smaller incisions.
2
Minimally Invasive Knee Joint Replacement
Minimally invasive knee replacement uses smaller incisions and specialized tools to access the joint. This can result in less postoperative pain, faster recovery, and less blood loss compared to traditional techniques. During surgery, damaged cartilage and bone are removed from the knee and replaced with an artificial prosthesis.
This video has content originally owned by "www.ypo.education". This is protected by the fair use doctrine of copyright law, which allows limited use of copyrighted material for educational purposes. To view the original content please refer to https://www.ypo.education/specialties/
Total knee replacement is a highly successful surgical treatment for knee arthritis. Over time, minimally invasive surgical techniques have been developed to reduce tissue trauma and improve patient outcomes.
Minimally Invasive Approach
Unlike traditional procedures that use 10 to 12-inch incisions, this approach uses smaller incisions, only 4 to 6 inches long. Minimally invasive surgery also avoids cutting the quadriceps muscle and tendon, which are important for knee movement.
The potential advantages of this type of surgery are:
- Minimal surgical dissection
- Shorter recovery period
- Shorter hospital stay
- Reduced postoperative pain
- Smaller surgical scar
The Procedure
The surgery is performed in an operating room under spinal or general anesthesia. During the procedure, a tourniquet is applied to the upper thigh to reduce blood loss.
- Incision: An incision is made along the affected knee to expose the joint.
- Femur Preparation: The damaged parts of the femur (thigh bone) are cut away, and a femoral component is attached to the end of the bone, with or without bone cement.
- Tibia Preparation: The damaged area of the tibia (shin bone) and cartilage are removed to create a smooth surface. A tibial component is then secured to the end of the bone with bone cement or screws.
- Implant Placement: A plastic piece, called an articulating surface, is placed between the implants to ensure a smooth gliding motion. This plastic piece acts similarly to the original cartilage.
- Patella (Kneecap): The back surface of the patella is prepared to receive a plastic component, ensuring it glides smoothly over the new artificial knee.
- Closure: Excess cement is removed, and the joint is irrigated with a sterile saline solution. The incision is then closed, and drains are inserted. Finally, a surgical dressing is placed over the incision.
Because there is less damage to the tissues around the knee, a shorter hospital stay, faster recovery, and a smaller surgical scar are expected.