Less Trauma, Faster Recovery

More than 300,000 total knee replacements are performed annually in the United States. The good news is that patients suffering from joint pain can now benefit from minimally invasive total knee replacement. The new procedure offers hope to the aging population: Baby boomers have spent years pursuing high-demand activities, and they're quickly nearing the age at which they stand to benefit most from these new surgical techniques.

With traditional knee replacement, patients often spend a week or more in the hospital, and recovery can take months. With the new approach, however, surgeons use smaller instruments and make smaller incisions (3 inches, versus the standard 12-inch incision). This means the kneecap and joint don't have to be dislocated and the quad muscles may be manipulated out of the way rather than cut. Specially designed retractors pull muscles out of the way, improving the surgeon's field of view. As a result, patients typically experience less soft-tissue trauma, heal faster and recover quicker.

“With this technique patients may return to independent living sooner, reducing their dependence on friends and family,” said Duncan McKellar, M.D., orthopedic surgeon. "Often patients can flex their knees, walk unassisted, and may get into and out of bed as quickly as 24 to 48 hours after surgery.”

Accurate Navigation
Surgeons are also combining minimally invasive total knee replacement with new computer navigation technology, essentially an orthopedic global positioning system. The new computer equipment, used often for precision neurosurgery, allows orthopedic surgeons to more accurately align the implant.

For more information, contact Dr. McKellar's office at 931-502-3810.

Image courtesy of Stryker