Orthopedics and Traumatology Specialist Prof. Dr. Burak Akan at Acıbadem Ataşehir Hospital points out that arthritis, which often manifests itself as swelling, pain and stiffness in the knee, reduces the person’s quality of life by hindering even daily tasks such as walking, bending, squatting and climbing stairs.
Our knees, which carry the entire load of our body, bend, turn and keep us standing upright… Sometimes, due to age, genetic effects, excess weight or injury, the cartilage tissue in this basic joint wears out and the knees may become painful, and the possibility of arthritis increases with age. Knees, which are the most complex and largest joints of the human body, carry the entire load of the body, together with the ankles and hips. If the slippery cartilage tissue that allows these joints to move easily loses its quality and wears out, the disease we call “calcification” occurs.
A treatment method suitable for all ages
The incidence of knee arthritis, which is caused by conditions such as genetic predisposition, sports injury, excess weight, and overuse of joints, increases with age. If knee arthritis affects only one area of the knee (mostly the inner side of the knee), half knee prosthesis provides successful results in this treatment. Orthopedics and Traumatology Specialist Prof. Dr. Regarding half knee prosthesis surgeries, also called ‘partial knee prosthesis’ or ‘unicondylar or unicompartmental knee prosthesis’, Burak Akan said, “This treatment is an alternative to total knee prosthesis, which is used in the treatment of cartilage loss that occurs in only one area of the knee joint due to reasons such as calcification and osteochondral defect. It is a surgery. It is used in many cases, including meniscus and root tears. These prostheses are suitable for adult patients with single-site cartilage damage in some cases such as correctable varus-valgus, which the physician can decide through examination and tests. Although it is suitable for all ages, it is especially preferred in patients under the age of 60 or over the age of 80. It is an alternative to total knee prosthesis if revision is required in the future for people under the age of 60, and it is preferred because it is a less risky surgery in the older age group.” Half knee prosthesis aims for a faster recovery with less risk than total knee prosthesis. This surgery is performed by an open method, by numbing the body from the waist down with spinal anesthesia, under light sleep, which excites the patients, and is completed within 45 minutes – 1 hour. These surgeries, which have a 10-year usage rate of over 95 percent, aim to provide lifelong recovery for the patient.
A more natural knee with lower risk
Stating that patients recover quickly with this method, Orthopedics and Traumatology Specialist Prof. Dr. Burak Akan said, “Our aim is to make a dysfunctional knee joint painless and functional again, that is, to achieve pain-free movement. “Although the biggest advantage is getting a more natural knee with lower risk than total knee replacement, infection rates are lower, scars are smaller, patients return to normal life faster, and most feel like a normal knee without surgery.” Patients stand up and walk with full weight on the knee 5-6 hours after the surgery. Patients discharged after a one-day stay in the hospital can generally return to their routine lives after 3-4 weeks. Although the risks such as infection, delayed wound healing and anesthesia complications are minimal in this surgery, as in every procedure, very successful results are achieved with this treatment method.
