In the UAE, while knee problems are common, most often, they are neglected. Studies indicate that seeking early medical intervention for knee problems can help the patients maintain their joint health without undergoing surgery.
Recently, a 75-year-old Dubai resident successfully underwent a first-of-its-kind Partial Knee Replacement based on the most advanced technique known as the Oxford Procedure at the Adam Vital Hospital in Dubai. Unlike the Total Knee Replacement (TKR) procedure in which all the knee joint surfaces are removed, an Oxford Partial Knee Replacement is performed to only replace damaged tissue and bone in the knee joint with artificial implants called prosthetics, and the rest of the knee remains unharmed and preserved.
By preserving all the undamaged parts, the knee joint can bend and function more naturally in a regular movement using its unique mobile-bearing design with low wear rates, potentially giving patients relatively longer life expectancies. Besides having relatively longer durability, Oxford Partial Knee Replacement has several advantages: smaller incisions, shorter hospital stays, faster recovery and minimal post-operative pain.
Recent research indicates that Partial Knee Replacement patients post one year of operation were 1.81 times more likely than Total Knee Replacement recipients to report that their knee felt normal and 2.69 times more likely to be satisfied with their ability to perform routine day to day activities.
When can partial knee replacement be done?
According to Dr Allaeldin Elbadawi, Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon at Adam Vital Hospital, any patient who has medial or lateral knee osteoarthritis can be considered for partial knee replacement.
“Partial Knee Replacement can be done when the damage is confined to a particular compartment of the knee,” he explains.
There are numerous advantages of partial knee replacement, says Dr Elbadawi. “It is less invasive, the patient will have a quick recovery, there is natural knee motion, no long-term activity restrictions, it has low complications related to total knee replacement, and all the healthy bone and ligaments are retained.”