If you're suitable for a partial knee replacement, recovery is faster, the knee feels more natural, and bone is preserved for future revision. The catch: only the right candidates qualify.
📍 Sector 69, SAS Nagar (Mohali), Punjab · Serving Chandigarh Tri-City
Dr. Harjoban Singh — the only FIFA-approved orthopaedic surgeon in the Chandigarh Tricity — sees patients with this condition regularly. Most cases are treated without surgery first.
The knee has three compartments: medial (inner), lateral (outer), and patellofemoral (kneecap).
Partial (unicompartmental) replacement resurfaces only the damaged compartment — usually the medial side. The other two compartments, the cruciate ligaments, and the meniscus on the other side are left intact.
Total knee replacement resurfaces all three compartments. The ACL is removed (always), the PCL may be retained or removed depending on the implant design, and the menisci are removed.
If only one compartment is worn, replacing the whole knee is over-treatment. If three compartments are worn, replacing only one is under-treatment that fails within 2–3 years.
Roughly 15–25% of patients coming for knee replacement are genuinely suitable for partial (unicompartmental) replacement. The criteria:
Honest reality:
Some surgeons do partial replacement on patients who shouldn't have it (because the recovery sells well). Others avoid partial replacement entirely (because it's a more demanding surgery). Dr. Harjoban Singh's approach: recommend partial when genuinely indicated, total when the joint truly needs it.| Milestone | Partial Replacement | Total Replacement |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital stay | 1–2 nights | 2–3 nights |
| Walking unaided | 2–3 weeks | 4–6 weeks |
| Return to driving | 3–4 weeks | 6 weeks |
| Return to office work | 3 weeks | 6 weeks |
| Knee feels natural | 90% of patients | 70% of patients |
| 15-year survival | ~90% | ~95% |
Robotic / computer-navigated surgery improves implant alignment to within 1° of the planned position. For partial replacement, where 2° of malalignment can cause early failure, robotic precision is especially valuable.
At Gini, every joint replacement uses GiniVision™ AR navigation — not as a marketing line, but because the data on revision rates with navigated surgery is now clear: better alignment, fewer outliers, longer implant survival.
Yes. One of the genuine advantages of partial replacement: if it wears out 12–15 years later, conversion to total knee replacement is possible and gives results similar to a primary total replacement — because bone has been preserved.
Compare with revision of a failed total: more complex, more bone loss, results never quite as good as the primary surgery. So when partial is genuinely indicated, it preserves your future options.
Book a consultation to discuss your symptoms, treatment options, and what surgery (if any) you actually need.