Partial Knee Implants at Dignity Health - St. Rose Dominican Hospitals

Partial knee implants are a type of knee replacement. A partial knee implant removes part of a damaged knee joint and replaces it with artificial surfaces. You may also hear doctors call this procedure a unicompartmental knee replacement or arthroplasty. A partial knee implant can help restore pain-free motion and full function to your knee joint while preserving healthy parts of the joint.

At Dignity Health - St. Rose Dominican hospitals, our surgeons use orthopedic procedures, including partial knee implant, in Las Vegas and Henderson, NV, to treat knee injuries and pain. Our Siena Campus earned a Joint Commission Certification for our knee replacement program. Find a Doctor online or call (702) 616-4900 to learn more about our range of treatments for orthopedic conditions.

Why Do Doctors Perform Unicompartmental Knee Replacement?

A partial knee implant is an alternative to a total knee replacement. It may be an option for you if only one of your knee’s three compartments is diseased or damaged. Approximately 10 to 15 percent of people with osteoarthritis are eligible for a partial knee implant.

Your doctor may recommend this option if you have osteoarthritis and meet the following criteria:

• Knee pain occurs entirely on either the inner side or outer side compartment.
• X-rays show advanced osteoarthritis in one compartment.
• You do not have significant knee stiffness.
• Your ligaments, which hold your joint together, are healthy.
• Other treatments such as physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications, joint injections, or less invasive surgeries haven’t worked.

What to Expect with a Partial Knee Implant in Las Vegas and Henderson, NV

Orthopedic surgeons perform partial knee implant surgery in a Dignity Health - St. Rose Dominican hospital. It is major surgery, so you will have general anesthesia. Your surgeon will make an incision in your knee to remove the damaged portion. Then, the surgeon will replace it with an implant — a metal or plastic component. A partial knee implant takes a couple of hours.

Recovering After Partial Knee Implant

A partial knee implant has some advantages over a total knee replacement. Generally, a partial implant usually involves less blood loss, less postoperative pain and swelling, and a quicker recovery. A typical hospital stay lasts from one to three days. In some cases, you may even go home the same day.

A partial knee implant also tends to result in a quicker rehabilitation period. Your care team will have you up and walking right after surgery with the aid of a cane, walker, or crutches. Physical therapy will help you regain strength and motion in your knee. In most cases, you can return to daily activities within six weeks.