Question: Is knee resurfacing a viable alternative to joint replacement surgery?
Answer: Knee resurfacing does not replace the need for total knee replacement. In those patients, however, who are not candidates for a total knee for medical or other reasons, and whose only other option is total knee arthroplasty, resurfacing may be a good interim procedure. Because the procedure requires minimum resection, anesthesia and surgery time are shortened, and risk from complications of surgery are lessened. The trade off is a less than optimum solution, and the knowledge that failure will occur earlier than would be expected from a total knee prosthesis. (Answer provided by the late Dr. Raymond Federman, aka Dr. Bones, who passed away on September 2, 2003. The care of his patients even in retirement was always his joy.)
