An Overview Of Knee Joint Preservation Techniques

Joint Preservation

As opposed to joint replacement surgery, joint preservation techniques focus on retaining the natural bone and soft tissues of a joint while restoring its functions surgically or non-surgically. It is most commonly recommended for the knee, hip, and shoulder joints, which are more prone to cartilage or ligament damage. 

The knee joint’s articular cartilage generally wears out as we age. It is also highly prone to arthritic conditions, accidental injuries, and sports injuries that lead to a limited range of motion, stiffness, and varying pain. Since this cartilage cannot regenerate, knee joint replacement has always been considered the traditional approach to treat its symptoms. But with the modern joint preservation surgery in Mumbai, our orthopedic surgeon can help avoid replacing the natural bone by stimulating new cartilage growth and stabilizing the surrounding tissue structures.

Techniques used in knee joint preservation

Non-surgical techniques

Joint replacement can take a huge toll on our routine lifestyle and career, especially in athletes. Hence, doctors always prefer to start joint treatment through non-invasive preservative techniques, including:

• Physiotherapy and exercises to improve mobility and strength
• Lifestyle modifications to improve the patient’s overall health 
• Pain relief drugs which include NSAIDs or  glucosamine and chondroitin supplements
• Special joint injections to reduce inflammation and promote bone regeneration
• Pain-relieving modalities such as ice, massage, deep heat, ultrasound stimulation, knee braces, or radiofrequency ablation

Surgical techniques 

If the non-invasive methods fail to improve the symptoms, an orthopedic surgeon can also perform minimally invasive knee surgery to relieve or reshape different joint parts. The most common knee joint preservation surgeries include:

Joint realignment procedures:

Knee realignment surgeries involve reshaping the different bones at the joint to relieve pressure from the worn-out part of the knee, thereby relieving pain.

Joint stimulation procedures:

The articular cartilage can be regenerated through different techniques, such as microfracture surgery for new tissue growth, Autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI), Arthroscopic OATS, etc.

Ligament reconstruction surgeries:

Damaged ligament bands can cause instability in the knee joint and further degrade the articular cartilage. These ligaments can be reconstructed with sutures or tissue grafts using arthroscopic surgical techniques.

Partial knee replacement surgery:

If a part of the knee joint is damaged beyond repair, only that part can be replaced without affecting the other bone parts, thereby preserving as much of the knee as possible.

Factors that affect your candidacy for knee joint preservation

Every surgeon who offers joint preservation surgery in Mumbai has to consider a few essential factors to decide if you are a good candidate for this treatment course. This is so because some knee problems may be better treated with joint replacement surgery. And the factors considered during the decision process include:

Age: Joint preservation surgeries show better and faster results in younger patients due to their healing ability. It may also be recommended to older adults who are unfit for a joint replacement.

Weight: Having a healthy BMI is crucial for preventing any excess pressure on a damaged knee. Hence, it may not be recommended to highly obese patients.

Muscular strength: Patients with goof muscle tone and strength are the best candidates for joint preservation. This is why athletes are mostly treated with preservation techniques.  

The extent of cartilage damage: knee joint preservation is recommended when a significant part of the cartilage and ligaments is still intact and healthy.

 

Being one of the pioneers of joint preservation surgery in Mumbai, Dr. Parnjal Kodkani has vast experience in utilizing non-invasive and minimally invasive techniques for preserving joints in athletic and non-athletic patients. He specializes in arthroscopic surgeries which cause minimal soft tissue damage and promote faster recovery. If you’ve suffered from a knee joint injury that might require replacement, you must consult Dr. Kodkani for a second opinion to know if joint preservation is an option for you.