Are there total knee replacement options, other than traditional artificial joint replacement surgery?

Question

I'm seeking alternatives to traditional knee replacement surgery. I would like to hear from arthritis and orthopedic patients who have experienced or investigated "biologic" (natural) joint replacements, versus "bionic" (artificial) joint replacements. I also would like to hear from people who know of any other total knee replacement alternatives currently available. Thank you.

Answer 1

Homeopathy prevents the need for surgery in many cases.

Answer 2

We're in the same boat.

One solution is called a "unispacer", but this is for people with worn cartilage on the inside of the knee. If cartilage is worn on both sides of the knee, or on the outside only, it appears the unispacer approach might not be helpful. (I fall in the latter category.)

Doing a Google search on Alternative Knee Replacement will bring up plenty of links. But here's a FAC link for the unispacer.

http://www.zimmerindia.com/z/ctl/op/glob...

There are some links indicating work being done in Sweden on regrowing cartilage. I haven't yet found a website for this that looks completely legitimate though.

If you're eligible for the unispacer approach, that may well solve your problem.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Ask your orthopedic surgeon about artificial synovial fluid. SYNOVISC (I think). Works to delay the surgery.

Right now the biological therapies are all in the experimental stages. Regrowing the cartilage and ligaments would  be ideal, but they haven't got there yet.