Minimally-Invasive Surgery (MIS) Quadriceps-Sparing Total Knee Replacement: New Quad Sparing Technique May Provide Faster Recovery for Patients with Arthritis of the Knee.

Edited By: Seth S. Leopold, M.D.
Last updated Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Conclusion

What are the five most important facts about minimally-invasive (quadriceps-sparing) total knee replacement for knee arthritis?

Total knee replacement is a reliable surgical technique in which the painful arthritic surfaces of the knee joint are replaced with well-engineered bearing surfaces. Pain is substantially improved and function regained in more than 90% of patients who have the operation.

Minimally-invasive quadriceps-sparing total knee replacement is a new technique for implanting well-tested total knee replacement components while minimizing post-operative pain and the time to full recovery. The length of the surgical incision, while not a goal of the procedure, is about half as long using the minimally-invasive approach compared to traditional total knee replacement approaches. One needs to remember that this is a new technique, and although preliminary studies are promising, it is likely we will continue to learn more about this procedure as time passes, and there may be risks to this approach that are not fully appreciated at this time.

Like any major procedure, there are risks to total knee surgery, and the decision to have a knee replacement must be considered a quality-of-life choice that individual patients make with a good understanding of what those risks are.

Knee replacement is a surgical technique that has many variables; like most areas of medicine, ongoing research will continue to help the technique evolve. It is important to learn as much as possible about the condition and the treatment options that are available before deciding whether--or how--to have a knee replacement done. While many of the changes now being explored in the field of total knee replacement may eventually be shown to be legitimate advances – perhaps including alternative bearing surfaces – it is important to compare them carefully to traditional total knee replacement performed using well established techniques, which we know are 90-95% likely to provide pain relief and good function for more than 10 years after the surgery.

Surgery for knee arthritis at the University of Washington

Disclaimer

This resource has been provided by the University of Washington Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine as general information only. This information may not apply to a specific patient. Additional information may be found at http://www.orthop.washington.edu or by contacting the UW Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine.

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