What is a Total Knee Replacement?
(Left) Severe osteoarthritis. (Right) The arthritic cartilage and underlying bone has been removed and resurfaced with metal implants on the femur and tibia. A plastic spacer has been placed in between the implants. The patellar component is not shown for clarity. Courtesy of https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/
When the cartilage has worn away, an artificial knee (call the prosthesis or implant) can take its place. Surgery to implant prosthesis is called a knee replacement period only the surface of the joint is removed - the arthritic ends of the bones are shaved off and replaced with new metal and plastic surfaces. The knee replacement recreates the normal function of the knee. While the idea of getting an artificial knee joint may be frightening to some , it is one of the safest and most effective medical procedures. The goal of a total knee replacement is to relieve pain. It may also help to restore motion and straighten the limb. Although replacing the total knee joint is the most common procedure, some people may benefit from just a partial knee replacement period implants are made of metal alloys and strong plastic parts and can be joined to your bone by acrylic cement.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TOTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT AND A PARTIAL KNEE REPLACEMENT?
In total knee replacement, large implants are used to resurface the ends of the thigh bone and the shin bone. If only one side of the knee joint is damaged, smaller implants can be used (partial knee replacement) to resurface just that side.
WHAT IS MUSCLE SPARING KNEE REPLACEMENT?
Traditional knee replacement procedures cut/splint the quadriceps tendon or the quadriceps muscle and then stitch it back after surgery. The quadriceps tendon is the workhorse muscle after knee replacement for walking and stairs. Unlike most surgeons locally in NJ, we perform a true quadriceps tendon/muscle sparing knee replacement where we use special techniques to lift the muscle and slide it. We have seen LESS pain and QUICKER recover with our muscle sparing approach.
Traditional Knee Exposure
Siddiqi Exposure
WHAT IS ROBOTIC-ASSISTED JOINT REPLACEMENT?
Robotic orthopedic surgery Is an innovative procedure that utilizes the precision of the robotic-arm system to help with total and partial knee replacement surgery, as well as total hip replacements. A virtual 3D model of your joint is built after CT scan , and then the robotic arm helps to guide the orthopedic surgeon through the procedure. It also allows the doctor to adjust your plan during the surgery itself. While studies are still being conducted on robotic surgery versus traditional joint replacement, one 2017 study found at 8 weeks post operatively, patients who had undergone robotic arm assisted surgery reported 55.4% lower pain scores than those who had gotten traditional joint replacement surgery.
During your surgical consultation, you and Dr. Siddiqi may decide to proceed with robotic assisted surgery. This would include the need to have one additional diagnostic test done. You will need to have a CT scan performed at one of our recommended Imaging facilities that are authorized and have the specialized equipment and protocol in place to perform this specific scan of your operative leg. This scan will create a 3D image of your joint you are having surgery on as well as a few additional images of your hip, femur (thigh bone), knee, tibia, and fibula (lower leg bones), and your ankle. This is NOT an MRI; you will NOT be placed in a small tube nor is there any IV contrast or dye used for this scan. It should take approximately 15 minutes to complete the scan. Ideally, we recommend that you have this scan done approximately 1-2 months prior to your surgery so that we can be sure it is completed. If your scan is greater than 6 months old, you will need to repeat the scan as your bones change.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRADITIONAL SURGERY AND ROBOTIC SURGERY?
During both traditional and robotic surgery, the muscles and tendons will not be cut. Traditional surgery relies on the surgeon to determine the appropriate cuts into the bone for appliance (prosthesis) application. Robotic surgery uses the computerized images created from your CT scan to create a 3D blueprint to determine diseased bone (arthritis bone) and good healthy bone. The surgeon then operates the robot as a guide to cut away this bone tissue to make a more precise cuts, prosthesis placement, leg alignment, and soft tissue balance.