OSMS orthopedic surgeon and physician owner Dr. Walker Flannery joined Dr. Larry Loewen, chiropractor and host of the Dr. Larry Radio Show, recently to talk about the make-up of your knee and partial knee replacements.

There are three compartments to a knee: the medial compartment, lateral compartment, and the patellar compartment. Each one of these compartments contains cartilage. Additionally, there are four ligaments that surround the knee. These ligaments include the MCL and LCL, which are located on either side of the knee, and the ACL and PCL, which are in the center of the knee. All the ligaments in the knee give more stability to the joint.

The difference between a partial knee replacement (PKR) and a total knee replacement (TKR) is that a partial replacement is when only one of the three components of the knee is replaced. Common injuries of the knee include sprains, strains, and fractures. With each injury, there are different symptoms. Some of these injuries are easy to diagnose, while others are more difficult to determine. OSMS has onsite diagnostic technology for X-rays and MRI’s which allows OSMS physicians time to read each result to ensure they are properly diagnosing each patient in the correct way.

When it comes to partial knee replacements, there is lower risk of complications and shorter recovery and rehab times, along with better function compared to a total knee replacement.

When going through a partial knee replacement, the patient will be positioned on their back to allow the doctors a full range of motion when working on the replacement. An incision will be drawn over the center of the kneecap right to the top of the tibia. With the incision being placed at the kneecap, it allows for the doctors to go back in at the same location if a total knee replacement or another partial knee replacement needs to be done.

Dr. Walker Flannery thoroughly discusses what is done during a partial knee replacement. This includes prepping and inspection, along with what is kept or removed in order to complete the replacement.

Three partial knee replacement success stories are shared with every one of them allowing the patients to get back to doing what they love and living their life to the fullest again. No matter what situation our patients are in, our physicians will take the time to come up with a plan to get them to where they need and want to be.

Finally, to close the discussion on partial knee replacements, Dr. Flannery compares the long-term success rate of a partial knee replacement and a total knee replacement. With a slightly lower survivorship of 85% after 20 years, there are benefits of having a partial knee replacement over a total knee replacement as your first knee surgery.

If you are a candidate for a joint replacement, Schedule an Appointment with Dr. Flannery today!

To watch Part 2 of Dr. Flannery’s interview with Dr. Larry, click here: https://youtu.be/FHGv-XWWIwQ