As West Michigan's leader in knee replacement procedures, Spectrum Health's Center for Joint Replacement helps more people relieve their knee pain and get back to enjoying everyday activities than any other area health care provider.
More than 600,000 knee replacement procedures are performed each year in the U.S. During knee replacement surgery, also called knee resurfacing, a small layer of bone and damaged cartilage is removed. Artificial implants made of metal and plastic are put in place to replicate the knee joint.
Total Knee Replacement
With a total knee replacement procedure, the damaged cartilage on the end of the thigh bone (femur), top of the shin bone (tibia), and back of knee cap (patella) is removed and replaced with artificial implants.
Partial Knee Replacement
Partial knee replacement is a less invasive alternative to total knee replacement which may be an option for some patients. With this procedure, only the part of the knee joint that is damaged by arthritis is replaced or resurfaced. Usually, this area is located on the inside (medial) of the knee joint.
Advantages of partial knee replacement, as compared to a total knee replacement, may include:
Less pain and discomfort
Less scarring
Shorter recovery times
Better range of motion
More natural feeling knee
Greater joint stability
Robotic Technology for Partial Knee Replacement
The newest treatment option available at our Center for Joint Replacement is a minimally invasive, robotic-assisted partial knee replacement procedure called MAKOplasty®. In fact, orthopaedic surgeons at Spectrum Health were the first in Michigan to perform this innovative surgery that uses computer navigation and a surgeon-guided robotic arm system to more accurately prepare the bone surface and align the artificial joint implant.
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