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Partial Knee Replacement

Often it is the medial (inside) compartment that becomes arthritic. If the other compartments have healthy, normal cartilage, then you might consider a partial knee replacement.

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Knees have three components:

  • Femur: This connects to your thigh bone and helps your kneecap move up and down when your bend your leg.
  • Tibia: This is also known as your shin bone. It connects the ankle bone to the knee bone.
  • Patella: This is also known as your kneecap. It sits in front of the joint to provide protection.

During a partial knee replacement, only the damaged portion of the knee is replaced. This is also called uni-compartmental. It is a smaller implant for just one side of the knee but both surfaces.

Partial knee replacement is done through a relatively small incision (approximately 3 to 4 inches long), so it does not interrupt the main muscle controlling the knee.

What this means for you is:

  • Faster rehabilitation.
  • Shorter hospitalization.
  • Quicker recovery time than a total knee replacement.
  • A more natural feeling knee since less bone is removed and there is less trauma to soft tissue.


One option for a partial knee replacement is using MAKOplasty technology, a surgeon-controlled robotic arm system that combines computer imaging with an intelligent instrumentation. This allows the surgeon to precisely place an implant that has been selected for the patient's knee.

Find a knee specialist.