The MemorialCare Joint Replacement Center at Long Beach Memorial offers an innovative new treatment option for those suffering with osteoarthritis of the knee that has not yet impacted the entire knee. MAKOplasty® is a robotic arm assisted partial knee resurfacing procedure designed to relieve the pain caused by joint degeneration due to osteoarthritis.
OA is a form of arthritis and a degenerative joint disease characterized by the breakdown and eventual loss of joint cartilage.
With osteoarthritis, the top layer of cartilage breaks down and wears away, allowing bones under the cartilage to rub together.
How is OA treated?
Whether your OA is mild or severe, your physician will most likely recommend certain lifestyle changes to reduce stress on your knee joints. Additional disease and pain management strategies may include: physical therapy, steroid injections, over-the-counter pain medications, anti-inflammatory drugs or topical pain relieving creams.
Total Knee Replacement
The most common surgical knee intervention performed for OA is a knee replacement. During this procedure, the natural joint is removed and replaced with an artificial implant. This treatment option is usually offered to patients with advanced OA.
Partial Knee Replacement
Total knee replacement is not always optimal for patients with early to mid-stage osteoarthritis in just one or two parts of the knee.
For patients with partial OA of the knee, MAKOplasty® Partial Knee Resurfacing may be the more appropriate solution.
By selectively targeting the part of the knee damaged by OA, Joint Replacement Center expert surgeons can resurface the knee while sparing the healthy bone and ligaments surrounding it, often resulting in a faster recovery and shorter hospital stay than traditional total knee replacement surgery.
A minimally invasive approachÂ
Unlike other more invasive procedures, MAKOplasty® spares natural bone and tissue and allows more patient specific implant positioning. During surgery, the surgeon has access to real-time visual, tactile and auditory feedback to facilitate optimal joint resurfacing and implant positioning – which may result in a more natural feeling knee after surgery.
Patients Who Can Benefit from MAKOplasty® Typically:Â
• Experience knee pain with activity, usually on the inner knee, under the kneecap or isolated to the outer knee
• Suffer from start up knee pain or stiffness when activities are initiated from a sitting position
• Have tried non-surgical treatments, injections or non-steroidal and anti-inflammatory medication, to ease the pain but they are no longer helping
There are risks associated with any surgical procedure, including MAKOplasty®, and your physician can explain these risks.
If your symptoms aren’t responding to non-surgical solutions, or your pain can no longer be controlled by medication, you could be a candidate for surgery.
Speak with your physician to determine if MAKOplasty® is right for you.
If you would like to learn more about this procedure and whether it is a good treatment option for you or someone you know, contact 800-MEMORIAL for a list of orthopedic surgeons specializing in MAKOplasty® at Long Beach Memorial.
