Knee Replacement Surgery - Dallas - Fort Worth, TX
What is knee arthroscopy?
Knee arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure an orthopaedic surgeon performs using an arthroscope. An arthroscope is a lighted, camera-equipped, high tech surgical instrument that requires a very small incision and allows an orthopaedic surgeon to see inside your knee joint in fine detail. Arthroscopes also contain onboard surgical instruments that allow your orthopaedic specialist to perform delicate procedures with precision.
We use arthroscopy to diagnose and treat a wide range of knee problems. During a knee arthroscopy we insert an arthroscope with its small camera into your knee joint. Using the camera to display images from inside your knee joint on a video monitor, we guide the arthroscope’s miniature surgical instruments. The arthroscope and instruments are thin enough to allow very small incisions rather than the large incision necessary for traditional open surgery. Patients experience less pain, less joint stiffness and shorter recovery times plus a faster return to their daily activities.
Knee Replacement Surgery - Dallas - Fort Worth, TX
Your knee is a complex structure that helps support your weight and facilitates movement. So things such as trauma, sports injuries or arthritis can affect your ability to function at your best and enjoy life. In recent years, there has been a remarkable increase in the number of knee injuries during competition.
Knee anatomy makes it vulnerable to sports injuries
The knee is particularly vulnerable to injury, especially in football and soccer. The knee joint lies between the two longest bones of the body. The entire weight of the body is transferred to the feet through the knees. Knees are more prone to injury because they lose stability as they bend. The menisci and ligaments give less effective support to a bent knee. Typical knee problems include:
- ACL injuries (plus MCL, PCL, LCL)
- Meniscal cartilage tear, medial meniscal tear
- Chondral defects (e.g. knee cartilage tear)
- Patellofemoral pain syndrome
The main reason for ACL reconstruction surgery is to help a patient return more quickly to a high level of competition or activity. Dr. Walker uses some of the most advanced knee arthroscopy techniques to reduce postoperative discomfort and recovery time. He is a sports medicine physician who has been trained in arthroscopic and reconstructive surgery of the knee. So you’ll always be in the best hands. He delivers all the evidence-based care you need and works with dedicated physical therapists.
Joint preservation to delay arthritis & increase function
Most knee problems, including meniscal tears and chondral (cartilage) defects, respond to joint preservation treatments and meniscus tear treatment such as injections, physical therapy, bracing, arthroscopic and reconstructive procedures. Dr. Walker will work with you one-on-one to develop a treatment plan with the goal to relieve your pain, regain lost mobility, improve function and delay and minimize further articular cartilage degeneration or soft-tissue damage.
Cartilage has limited ability to heal after an injury or after the onset of osteoarthritis. If you have a more symptomatic cartilage injury or degenerative changes in which the joint causes persistent pain, limits your quality of life and does not respond to nonsurgical treatments, we may perform the most advanced cartilage restoration procedures. When possible, Dr. Walker performs cartilage repair surgery to preserve the natural knee for as long as possible and at least slow the progression of osteoarthritis, delaying the need for total knee replacement.
Microfracture
The microfracture technique can be safe and effective in treating degenerative areas in early knee arthritis or cartilage injuries in active patients. This technique is performed arthroscopically for cartilage repair by stimulating stem cells from the bone marrow underneath the area where cartilage is intended to regenerate. This surgery is done as an outpatient procedure where no overnight stay is required.
Cartilage transplantation
There are two main types of cartilage transplantation. Autologous cartilage implantation (ACI) and ostechondral articular transfer (OAT). Both techniques are FDA-approved for treatment of cartilage defects in focal areas of the knee joint.
ACI is performed in two stages. The first stage is usually performed arthroscopically to harvest healthy cartilage from a nonarthritic or undamaged portion of your joint that does not support weight bearing. This is similar to removing a wall in your home that does not support the weight of the rest of the house or roof. The healthy cartilage is then processed for four to six weeks to grow more cartilage-producing cells. After this, an open surgical procedure is performed during the next stage of the technique in order to “patch” the cartilage defect in the knee.
Osteochondral articular transplantation or transfer is a procedure performed either arthroscopically for small areas or through a small incision on the front of the knee for larger cartilage abnormalities. It is done by transferring healthy cartilage from a lesser weight-bearing area of the knee to the portion of the knee with osteoarthritis. A small amount of bone is removed with the overlying healthy cartilage in order to “plug” in the cartilage to the site of osteoarthritis. For larger areas, an allograft is usually needed.
For more severe problems… reconstruction or replacement
If you have a more severe knee problem in which the joint has been badly damaged and does not respond to nonsurgical treatments, we may perform the most advanced, minimally invasive reconstructive and total knee joint replacement procedures. When possible, Dr. Walker performs minimally invasive knee replacement surgery, which requires smaller incisions and allows for quicker recovery with less pain.
Don’t take a chance with a knee injury. No matter what the situation, Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Torrance Walker is committed to helping his patients. If you’re looking to have arthroscopic surgery in the Dallas - Fort Worth, TX area, it’s important to have a surgeon you can trust. It’s important that you call Dr. Torrance Walker today.
Visit our health library to learn more about total knee arthroscopy and knee cartilage repair surgery.
Up-to-date care is just a phone call away. Call Dr. Walker in Fort Worth, Texas today at 972.392.3330 or use our Online Appointment Request Form. Our arthroscopy patients come to us from Plano, Richardson, Frisco, Garland, Dallas and Fort Worth.
