Unicompartment Knee Replacement: A Surgical Procedure To Relieve Pain Due To Arthritis

The knee is one of the most vital and strongest part of the human being. The knee is type of joint that connects the thigh part with lower part of the leg. The main function of the knee is allow seamless movements either a person sits, stands, and walks or bends his body. The knee is built strongly and hardly gets damaged but there are certain bone diseases and sports related injuries which can very much damage the muscle and cartilage present in the knee. The pain felt in knee can be from acute to chronic which can cause tremendous aching. 

There are various pain medications and therapies which can ease the knee pain. In situations when the medicine and therapy is not removing the pain the patient is advised either a partial or total knee replacement. Unicompartment knee replacement also more commonly known as partial knee replacement is a medical procedure which is done to replace only the damage part or portion of the knee. The unicompartment knee replacement is done to when the cartilage surrounding the knee is affected or damaged and slowly wear away due to constant movement of the knee joint. The word ‘uni’ means one and unicompartment knee replacement is done either in the three parts of the knee namely

·         Medial compartment or inside portion of the knee

·         Lateral compartment or outside section of the knee

·         Or the knee cap portion of the knee

The unicompartment knee replacement is a surgical operation that helps to relieve the pain due to arthritis in one of the three compartments of the knee. The orthopedic surgeon who performs the procedure first sedates the patient, then replace the damaged part of the knee with an implant made of metallic and plastic components. The patient is advised to rest for few days and undergo therapy to help the knee to function better.