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In surgery, the knee is flexed and the leg suspended. One
muscle is separated to
expose the femur (thigh bone); later, the tibia (leg bone) is exposed.
The damaged
surfaces at the end of the thigh bone are trimmed to shape it to fit inside
the total knee prosthesis. The shin bone is cut flat across the top and
a hole is
created in the center to hold the stem of the tibial component. If needed,
the
knee cap is trimmed and the patellar component attached.
At various points during surgery, the alignment, function, and stability
of the
knee joint are evaluated and required adjustments are made. The prosthesis
components are cemented into place, any contracted ligaments are released,
the midvastus muscle is reconstructed, and the incision is closed. |
Listing the Advantages
Because fewer muscles and tendons
are disturbed with the minimally invasive techniques, their reconstruction
is more natural, wound closure
is easier, and recovery may be faster (2).
Clinical studies have shown that the
midvastus surgical approach used in
the MIS technique results in less pain
(at both 8 days and 6 weeks after
surgery) and quicker restoration of
muscle control and strength (3). It can
take several months to recover from
the large incision and muscle disruption
with the standard approach.
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Risks Associated with
Minimally Invasive Surgery
The MIS Knee Joint Replacement technique
is significantly less invasive than conventional TKR, but it
is still a major surgery. It takes little additional time to
complete and may result in advantages for the patient. Joint
replacement surgery is a major surgery and significant complications,
while rare, can occur.
As with any major surgical procedure, patients who undergo
total joint replacement are at risk for certain complications,
the vast majority
of which can be successfully avoided or treated. In fact, the complication
rate following joint replacement surgery is very low: Serious complications,
such as joint infection, occur
in less than 2% of patients. (Besides infection, possible complications include
blood clots and lung congestion, or pneumonia.) |
