When arthritis has worn only one part of the knee, does the whole knee need replacing?
Dr. Mahajan is Chairman Orthopaedics, Joint Replacement & Chief Robotic Joint Replacement at Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital, Saket.
A woman in her fifties, who had had knee trouble for ten to fifteen years and could barely walk, was treated by Dr Ramneek Mahajan.
How did it start?
The patient says she had had a lot of trouble with her knees for at least ten to fifteen years, which made walking very hard. It got so bad that she could barely walk, taking one step at a time.
What did Dr Mahajan say had to be done, and why?
The patient says that on her first visit for tests, Dr Mahajan told her she would need an operation on her knees.
He says that when he examined her knees, the arthritis had worn the cushioning cartilage away so that bone rubbed on bone, but only in the inner part of the knee. A knee has three compartments: the inner side, the outer side and the area behind the kneecap. Because only the inner one was worn through, she was a good candidate for a partial knee replacement, which replaces only the worn compartment and keeps the rest of the knee.
What changed after the operation?
The patient says she stood six hours after the operation.
Dr Mahajan says both knees were operated on, and in less than 24 hours she walked into the corridor. She first held a walker, then walked a few steps without support. She has been told she may go back to work as soon as she is able.
What should a patient with long-standing knee arthritis ask?
This is one woman's story, not a promise: what an operation can do for you depends on your own case.
Ask whether the arthritis affects the whole knee, or only one part of it.
Ask whether a partial knee replacement could suit your knees.
What this case teaches
A partial knee replacement suits arthritis limited to one of the knee's three compartments, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says.
Against a total replacement, a partial one gave fewer complications and shorter hospital stays, but no clear gain in function, a 2025 review found.
A partial knee may need more surgery later if arthritis reaches the parts not replaced, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons says.
Recovery from a partial knee replacement should be shorter than from a total one, the NHS says.
