“We had been living in the mountains of Colorado, where I was scheduled for two knee replacement surgeries upon our return from a trip to Italy”. Says Marcia Schleif. “However, while in Italy, my knees got better, which we surmised may have been caused by the lower altitude and higher humidity of Italy. Once back in the states, we packed up and moved to the lowest, hottest, wettest place we could find, which was here in Punta Gorda.
“I did fine for a year, but then my knees began bothering me again.

We were new to the area, and I thought I needed a cortisone shot in my knee,” recalls Marcia. “After reading an article about Dr. Davis, I scheduled an appointment to see him. I made a good choice!”

Mark J. Davis, MD, is a board certified orthopedic surgeon with extensive and prestigious additional Fellowship training in knee and hip replacement from Anderson Clinic in Arlington, Virginia.

A thorough history and a clinical examination of Marcia’s knees focused on determining the levels and locations of her pain and stiffness.

“Marcia’s situation was one I encounter on a regular basis,” relates Dr. Davis. “She complained that her knees were extremely painful, and I could see that one of her knees was swollen and starting to change shape, making her bowlegged.”

“Dr. Davis said he would like to take a couple of x-rays”, remembers Marcia.

The doctor explains that x-rays are used to determine if arthritis is apparent only in the inside part of the knee, and important prerequisite in determining the best intervention. In a normal knee, the condyles, two rounded, knob-like protuberances at the bottom of the femur or thighbones, fit and move in the hollows of the tibia or shinbone, forming the actual knee joint. When one condyle is damaged due to wear, injury or arthritis, the resulting pain and impaired motion of the knee can become incapacitating.

“My x-rays showed that on the inside of my knees, there was bone rubbing bone”, says Marcia, “which is why I was in so much pain. “Because I’d been told in Colorado that I wasn’t a candidate for partial knee surgery, I never even thought about discussing it with Dr. Davis, but he took one look at my x-rays and said he knew exactly what to do.”

“Patients, like Marcia, that exhibit osteoarthritis in one compartment of the knee may not need a total joint replacement to relieve pain and restore function of the knee”, explains the surgeon. “An alternative option is a unicompartmental implant. The Repiccci? Unicondylar Program is designed for these patients. This device is much smaller than a total knee implant and leaves the healthy tissues intact.

“I recommended the Repicci? Unicompartmental Knee Replacement (UKA) because it has proven successful in relieving a patient’s pain while restoring both the correct alignment and motion of the knee joint”.

UKA Advantages

Performed while the patient is sedated, the UKA procedure involves the re-shaping and re-surfacing of the bones on either side of the knee, so that a prosthesis can be implanted.

Fabricated from surgical metals and plastics, one portion fits of the worn condyle while the other is fitted on the follow at the corresponding end of the tibia.

Designed to stabilize the knee and permit pain-free motion, including the natural sliding and rolling movements easily performed by healthy knee joints, the prosthesis completely restores the form and function of the natural knee joint, allowing the smooth movement previously prohibited by worn or absent cartilage.

“We consider partial knee replacement to be a minimally invasive procedure for several reasons”, informs Dr. Davis. “First, the skin incision is typically only about three inches long. Second, only the damaged portion of the knee joint is replaced. Basically, we’re preserving the natural knee joint and replacing only the portions that are bad, much like a dentist would repair a single bad tooth, rather than pulling all your healthy teeth and giving you dentures.

“Third, unlike with a total kneed replacement (TKA), where a patient may remain in the hospital or rehab hospital for up to two weeks after surgery, a partial knee replacement patients typically goes home the day after surgery”.

“..A Great Success!”

“ I couldn’t believe how fast I was back on my feet”, marvels Marcia. “I went into therapy immediately and was walking right away. I never used a walker. I didn’t need a cane”.

Dr. Davis notes that in most cases, “my partial knee replacement patients are able to drive at two weeks following surgery. They become independent again much faster”.

“Dr. Davis is super to work with”, says Marcia. “He told me there was a good chance that following surgery on one kneed the pain would be alleviated in my second knee because I would stop compensating for it, and he was right”.

“Partial knee replacement is an early treatment option”, stresses Dr. Davis. “People don’t need to suffer for years, waiting until they are a candidate for a total kneed replacement; they can opt for a partial replacement and get back to a pain-free lifestyle much quicker.

“It’s been a great success”, assures Marcia. “I had the surgery a year ago last July, and my knees are both feeling just fine. In fact, in September we spent a month in Tanzania on Safari trekking after the chimps.

“Dr. Davis is my hero”.
Author- Kris Kline

Dr. Davis welcomes your questions about joint replacement and other orthopedic issues. To schedule a consultation, please call (941) 613-3800. His office address is 1951-B Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte, FL 33948