Partial vs Total Knee Replacement: Which Should You Choose?
The choice depends on which compartments are worn, your ligaments, alignment and lifestyle goals.
Your knee has three compartments: medial (inside), lateral (outside) and patellofemoral (under the kneecap). A partial knee replacement (UKA) resurfaces only the worn compartment, leaving healthy bone, cartilage and all four major ligaments intact. A total knee replacement (TKR) resurfaces all three compartments and sacrifices the anterior cruciate ligament.
Partial replacement is the right choice when arthritis is confined to one compartment, the ligaments are intact and the deformity is correctable. The benefits are well documented: shorter hospital stay, faster recovery, a more natural-feeling knee, better range of motion and lower complication rates.
Total replacement remains the right answer when arthritis affects two or three compartments, the ACL is deficient, or there is severe fixed deformity. KOGS grading (the system Dr Oosthuizen developed) is used in consultation to score your suitability for UKA objectively rather than by surgeon preference alone.
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