Knee pain is an ordeal dreaded by just any person who desires to maintain an active lifestyle.
If you’re experiencing knee pain, don’t allow it to completely hold you captive. Your best bet is to seek the expertise of an orthopedic surgeon, who will carry out a comprehensive assessment to accurately diagnose your condition and devise an appropriate treatment plan.
Your orthopedic surgeon will likely first explore all conservative interventions to attempt to address your knee problem. However, if your symptoms continue unabated after an extensive course of nonoperative treatment, surgery will likely be your recourse.
The type of surgery you need will depend on a number of factors, such as the underlying cause of your knee pain, the extent of the damage to your knee, as well as your age, lifestyle, and overall health.
The following are a few common procedures for intractable knee pain. Your surgeon may discuss any of them with you.
Arthroscopy
Knee arthroscopy is a procedure that involves your orthopedic surgeon creating a tiny incision (about the size of a buttonhole), through which they will insert a thin, flexible, lighted instrument with a fiber-optic camera on its tip known as an arthroscope to have a look inside your knee. The images of the structures in your knee are projected onto a high-definition video monitor.
Knee arthroscopy is used for both diagnosing and treating a variety of knee problems. After your surgeon determines the specific issue, they will proceed with the necessary intervention symptoms (e.g., reconstruction of torn ligaments, removal of bone fragments, repair of damaged cartilage, etc.)
Arthroplasty
Knee arthroplasty, commonly known as knee replacement surgery, is a procedure in which your orthopedic surgeon removes and replaces the damaged parts of your knee with prosthetic components to relieve pain and restore the normal function of the joint. Knee replacement surgery is primarily used to treat the damage brought on by severe wear-and-tear arthritis (osteoarthritis).
Based on their findings, your orthopedic surgeon will determine the type of knee arthroplasty you need, whether total or partial (unicompartmental knee replacement). Your surgeon will likely recommend the latter if the damage is confined only to one part of your knee, most often in the medial (inner) compartment.
Osteotomy
An osteotomy, which literally means “bone cutting,” involves your orthopedic surgeon removing or placing a wedge of bone to either your thighbone or shinbone to take the pressure off the damaged area of your knee.
Your orthopedic surgeon may recommend an osteotomy if you’re not qualified for a knee replacement.
A knee osteotomy may be done in combination with other types of surgical interventions, such as cartilage repair if you have bowlegs or knock knees.
Knee Surgeons in Lauderdale Lakes and Pembroke Pines, FL
Whatever type of knee surgery you need, you can rely on our board-certified orthopedic surgeons here at Total Orthopaedic Care to deliver the best possible outcomes—and help you successfully break free from the pain and movement limitations caused by your knee problem.
To see which type of knee surgery is right for you, schedule a consultation with one of our orthopedic surgeons today. Call us at (954) 735-3535. You may also fill out this form to request an appointment, and we will call you promptly to schedule your visit.
