The knee is one of the most frequently injured joints in the body. Knee surgery can successfully alleviate knee pain caused by any number of conditions or injuries such as arthritis and sports injuries, including a torn meniscus or ACL.
As one of the body’s largest, most complex joints, your knee is made up of four main bones, as well as many ligaments, tendons, muscles, and other soft tissue. The four bones of the knee are:
- Shinbone (tibia)
- Thighbone (femur)
- Kneecap (patella)
- Calf bone (fibula)
Ligaments connect bone to bone and provide the knee joint with stability by limiting overextension. The ligaments in the knee include the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), lateral collateral ligament (LCL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). Two C-shaped pieces of cartilage called menisci rest within each knee joint, acting as a shock absorber and cushioning the joint during motion.
The most commonly performed knee surgeries include:
Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical technique. It involves the use of an arthroscope, a small, flexible tube with a light and camera attached, to diagnose and treat certain conditions. The scope is inserted through a very small incision near the joint. Arthroscopy is one of the most common surgical procedures utilized to treat knee pain.
A knee arthroscopy, or “knee scope,” may be used to address:
- Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears
- Infection or inflammation
- Kneecap (patella) problems
- Damaged articular cartilage
- Loose pieces of bone or cartilage in the joint
- Meniscus tears
There are three main areas of the knee joint in which problems can occur:
- Lateral compartment (outer half of the joint)
- Medial compartment (inner half of the joint)
- Patellofemoral compartment (front of the joint, between kneecap and thighbone)
When your knee joint is only damaged in one or two compartments of the knee, you may require only a partial knee replacement rather than a total knee replacement. When all three compartments are affected, or you have suffered significant ligament damage, a total knee replacement may be recommended.
Also known as a unicompartmental knee replacement, a partial knee replacement procedure involves removing damaged tissue, resurfacing existing areas, and surgically implanting artificial parts into the affected compartment(s) of the knee.
All weight-bearing surfaces of the knee joint are replaced with artificial components in total knee replacement surgery. It is often recommended for patients who are unable to move the joint without severe pain, for those with knee pain even when the joint is at rest, and those for whom other treatments have not been successful. Most people who undergo a total knee replacement are between 50 and 80 years old.
If you suffer from knee pain, surgical intervention often poses the best solution to properly and permanently alleviate your symptoms and restore joint function.
Knee Surgeons in Naples, FL
If you’re ready to get rid of your knee pain for good, call the orthopedic surgeons at the Joint Replacement Institute in Naples, Florida, at (239) 261-2663. Knee surgeries can effectively treat your symptoms; find out how by making your appointment today. You can also request an appointment now.