Knee Replacement Surgery
At Paul Meli Orthopedic Surgery in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, our orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Paul Meli, has extensive experience in the latest minimally invasive techniques available for the replacement of knee joints.
Your knees bear a great deal of weight over the course of your lifetime. Eventually the smooth lining of the joints (articular cartilage) wears down and the bones begin to rub together. This condition, osteoarthritis, is the most common cause of chronic knee pain and disability. When conservative treatments such as medication or physical therapy fail to provide lasting relief, you may benefit from surgical knee replacement from an expert like Dr. Meli.
Knee Replacement Surgery
During knee replacement surgery, also known as knee arthroplasty, Dr. Meli removes the damaged portion of the knee joint and replaces it with an artificial joint, which restores pain-free movement so you can get back to the activities you love.
While today’s advanced artificial implants are extremely durable and long-lasting, they sometimes need to be replaced.
Types of Knee Joint Surgeries
As the largest joint in your body, your knees are highly vulnerable to injury and osteoarthritis, the most common cause of debilitating chronic knee pain.
Knee joint replacement, or knee arthroplasty, is performed to relieve arthritis pain, restore motion and joint function, and improve quality of life.
Within the knee joint, there are three compartments. If only one compartment is affected by arthritis, Dr. Meli can replace only that portion of the knee, a procedure known as partial knee replacement.
If the entire knee joint is affected by arthritis, then Dr. Meli will likely recommend a total knee replacement, which may be performed with a minimally invasive technique (smaller incision) or the traditional way with a larger incision.
Knee replacement surgery typically requires a hospital stay of a few days. However, thanks to advances in anesthesia and pain control, total and partial knee replacement can now be performed on an outpatient basis for certain patients.
Having same-day joint replacement surgery means that you can go home a few hours after your surgery is complete. If you are in good health and relatively fit, with no major medical conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, or uncontrolled diabetes, you might be a candidate for a same-day knee replacement.
Dr. Meli will let you know which knee replacement method he recommends for you, whether you qualify for same-day surgery, and explain the procedure in detail.
Knee Joint Replacement in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
As a board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon with 30 years of experience, Dr. Meli can help relieve your joint pain and restore your range of motion using the most advanced minimally invasive techniques.
To learn more about your knee replacement options, call Paul Meli Orthopedic Surgery today at (954) 324-7711 to arrange a consultation or use our online appointment request form to schedule your visit.
