When pain due to arthritis or injury becomes unbearable and begins to interfere with daily life, a person may seek out knee surgery in order to replace the diseased joint. Other treatment options are available, however, to prevent the complete removal of the joint and possibly even surgery altogether.
Conservative Methods
Before surgery is recommended, a sports medicine physician may recommend conservative treatments, such as regularly icing the knee, receiving steroid injections or regularly resting the knee to reduce symptoms. Wearing a specialized brace to support knee function and activity is also recommended.
Arthroscopy
Also known as a knee "scope," arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure where a physician creates small incisions in the knee to insert small instruments. These instruments are then used to scrape, trim or smooth worn-out cartilage, which can decrease the incidence of inflammation. This type of treatment is most often recommended in the early stages of arthritis, as those with more advanced cases may not experience relief.
Cartilage Transplantation
Especially useful for those who have experienced an injury that causes cartilage damage, a cartilage transplant can take cartilage from another area and transplant it onto the area of the knee that is diseased. Because cartilage damage from arthritis can be too extensive for new cartilage to transplant successfully, this method is usually only recommended for those without severe degenerative conditions.
Uni-Compartmental or Partial Knee Replacement
Thanks to new innovations in new replacement materials, surgeons are able to take surgical approaches that do not require completely replacing the knee joint. If only a portion of the knee is damaged, a surgeon may recommend a uni-compartmental knee replacement, where patients receive a replacement on only a part of the knee.
Arthrodesis/Knee Fusion
If complete knee replacement is not an option because it is unlikely the surgery will be successful, a knee fusion that fuses the bones of the femur and tibia together with plates, pins or screws may be recommended. This approach causes a significantly decreased amount of movement and causes the patient to limp. However, this approach will eliminate the pain from the diseased knee joint.
Tags: cartilage damage, cartilage transplant, knee joint, Knee Replacement