Alternative to knee surgery can cut recovery time

Karen Brown, CBS

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By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Feb 20, 2008 at 6:22 PM EDT

Story Updated: Feb 20, 2008 at 6:22 PM EDT

(CBS) An alternative to knee replacement can cut recovery time.

Like many Baby Boomers, Nancy Stirk had a worn-down knee. In one part, the cushioning cartilage was gone, so she had to use a cane to walk.

In the past, surgeons would fix the problem with a total knee replacement — a major operation that can take three months recovery.

But Nancy was a candidate for partial knee replacement, because only the inside of her knee was injured. Surgeons only repair the damaged part of the knee. That means 75 percent less bone and cartilage has to be removed.

“There's less blood loss, there's less pain after surgery and people really functionally recover a lot better,” explained Dr. Geoffrey Westrich.

“It's great,” Stirk said. “I feel like a new person.”

Five weeks after the procedure, the cane is gone and Nancy can play with her grandchildren pain free. She says her knee feels natural and she can't even tell the replacement parts are there.

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