Partial or unicompartmental knee replacements have been around for decades and offer excellent results. But the most exciting new approach to this well-established procedure is the “minimally-invasive” partial knee replacement (or "mini knee").

This technique allows a partial knee replacement to be performed through a smaller (about 3 inches) incision with minimal damage to the muscles and tendons. The smaller incision and less-invasive nature of the surgery allow patients to recover much more quickly. Hospital stays are 1 or 2 days for most patients--and recovery is much faster. These benefits are due to the fact that a partial knee replacement replaces only one side of the joint rather than the entire joint.

Patients lose less blood, experience substantially less pain than with traditional knee replacement and often walk unassisted within a week or two of the operation. Even patients who have both knees done at once can usually walk without the assistance of a walker or cane fairly quickly.

The healthy parts of the knee joint remain intact. For the patient, this means improved pain relief and a faster return to full function and the enjoyment of favorite activities. The vast majority of patients experience dramatic pain reduction and significant improvement in their ability to participate in their own lives