Italian Hospital of Buenos Aires
Tel: +54 11 4959 0200 Int: 8267
(leave voicemail)
Potosí 4247 PB. CABA
SG medical office
Avda. Coronel Díaz 2760
P.B “B” CABA
Monday 10am - 12pm
Thursday 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Partial knee arthroplasty (Unicompartmental)
The knee joint is formed by the union of three bones: the femur (thigh bone), the tibia (leg bone), and the kneecap. The knee has three main compartments: the medial compartment (located internally), the lateral compartment (located externally), and the anterior or patellofemoral compartment (between the kneecap and the femur).
When two or more compartments of the knee are severely compromised, total knee replacement (TKR) surgery uses implants that are placed in the bones of the knee. There are patients who will only have one of these three compartments, usually the medial compartment. In the latter there is an arthroplasty that reconstructs only the internal compartment (partial knee arthroplasty).
The entire replaced knee may feel strange or feel heavy and not move like the original knee. This can lead to patient dissatisfaction and decreased “quality of life” post-surgery.
Recently, innovative changes in the understanding of the biomechanics and function of the knee joint, coupled with novel advances in the design of surgical implants, allow surgeons to replace only the parts of the knee affected by the wear process. By replacing only the damaged parts, and leaving the unaffected parts intact, we hope to achieve a more natural and functional feel in the knees undergoing partial resurfacing arthroplasty, which will allow the patient to participate more actively in recreational activities, while treating arthritis and improving pain and edema. This allows the healthy parts of the knee and native ligaments to work normally, achieving more natural movement and sensation in the knee undergoing partial resurfacing.
