Total and Partial Knee Replacement

If you and your doctor have already tried treating your osteoarthritis with conservative options such as NSAIDs, corticosteroids, and viscosupplementation, you may be considering a total knee replacement surgery. 

Traditional total knee replacement surgery replaces a portion of your femur (thigh bone), your patella (knee cap), and your tibia (shin bone) with metal implants.  It is a common surgical procedure with more than 500,000 procedures done annually in the US.  For many, it has been the only option available to restore function and remove pain when afflicted with osteoarthritis.

However, the significant bone removal required for a total knee replacement can limit future treatment options.  Many patients delay treatment for years either because they fear the invasive surgery, or because their surgeons do not want to put them at risk for even more invasive revision surgery later in their life.  This is of particular concern for young and active patients.

Partial Knee and Resurfacing Options

Partial and total knee resurfacing are potential options for those who seeking a more conservative alternative to total knee replacement.  A partial knee procedure refers to a surgery designed to treat just one or two compartments in a knee, a possibility when osteoarthritis is not present in all three compartments.  Resurfacing refers to implants that remove minimal bone by covering the articular surface of an affected joint.  In carefully selected patients, a partial knee procedure or a resurfacing approach provides the opportunity for a smaller incision, more bone preservation, and a shorter recovery period. 

The ConforMIS approach combines a portfolio of products for osteoarthritis in one, two, or all three compartments with a unique approach to resurfacing.  Rather than replace the joint, our products use patient-specific data from imaging scans to create implants that resurface the joint. Combining partial or total knee options with a resurfacing approach affords maximum bone preservation for early intervention implant patients.