Minimally Invasive Knee Replacement
A total knee replacement can be done through a smaller incision, but Dr. Jana does not feel that the term "minimally invasive" is a proper description. There are a few orthopedic surgeons who perform knee replacements through a 4 inch incision and refer to this as "minimally invasive" knee replacement. You will be hard pressed to find an orthopedic surgeon that would choose to have his own knee replaced with this “minimally invasive” technique.
Dr. Jana does not favor this "minimally invasive" approach for his patients due to higher complication rates which have been reported in numerous studies. Like the vast majority of knee specialists, he uses a traditional technique for total knee replacements, which uses an incision that is 6-7 inches long. This type of incision allows full visualization of the knee anatomy during the surgery and allows for proper placement of the knee implant.
Unlike total knee replacements, partial knee replacements can be done safely through a very small incision - but only about 10% of people are candidates for a partial knee replacement.
In order to speed your recovery and minimize post-operative pain, Dr. Jana uses the latest techniques in pain management. In particular, pre-operative nerve blocks are combined with a variety of different medicines to help minimize pain as much as possible.
For more information, see the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons position statement on minimally invasive joint replacement surgery.
Dr. Jana does not favor this "minimally invasive" approach for his patients due to higher complication rates which have been reported in numerous studies. Like the vast majority of knee specialists, he uses a traditional technique for total knee replacements, which uses an incision that is 6-7 inches long. This type of incision allows full visualization of the knee anatomy during the surgery and allows for proper placement of the knee implant.
Unlike total knee replacements, partial knee replacements can be done safely through a very small incision - but only about 10% of people are candidates for a partial knee replacement.
In order to speed your recovery and minimize post-operative pain, Dr. Jana uses the latest techniques in pain management. In particular, pre-operative nerve blocks are combined with a variety of different medicines to help minimize pain as much as possible.
For more information, see the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons position statement on minimally invasive joint replacement surgery.
