Knee Surgery Options: From Arthroscopy to Total Replacement

The optimal knee procedure depends on pathology, patient age, activity level, comorbidities, and goals. Common surgeries include:

1. Arthroscopic Surgery (Minimally Invasive)

• Indications: Meniscal tears, loose bodies, chondral flaps, synovitis, ACL/PCL reconstruction.
• Recovery: 2–6 weeks for simple debridement; 6–9+ months for ligament reconstruction.

2. Partial (Unicompartmental) Knee Arthroplasty (UKA)

• Indications: Isolated medial or lateral compartment osteoarthritis with intact ligaments.
• Advantages: Bone preservation, more natural kinematics, faster rehab.
• Recovery: 6–12 weeks.

3. Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA)

• Indications: Advanced tricompartmental OA, inflammatory arthritis, post-traumatic arthritis.
• Recovery: 3–6 months for maximal function; implant longevity 15–20+ years.

4. Revision Knee Arthroplasty

• Indications: Aseptic loosening, infection, instability, periprosthetic fracture, polyethylene wear.
• Complexity: Longer OR time, bone loss management (augments, cones, allografts), higher complication rates.

Decision-Making Framework

• Weight-bearing radiographs (AP, lateral, Merchant, long-leg alignment)
• MRI if soft-tissue pathology suspected
• Patient-reported outcome scores (KOOS, Oxford Knee Score)
• Shared decision-making: implant type, fixation (cemented vs. cementless), robotic vs. conventional

Consult a fellowship-trained adult reconstruction surgeon for personalized recommendations.