Total Joint Replacement and Joint-Saving Techniques for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis: The Problems of Decision-Making

Abstract

Background: Recently, there has been an increasingly insufficient use of conservative methods of therapy and an unreasonable increase in indications for total replacement of large joints. According to the literature, more than 25% of cases of knee joint replacement could have been avoided if patients had been provided with optimal non-surgical methods of treatment. In addition, orthopedic traumatologists have once more focused on unheralded joint-saving surgeries like corrective osteotomy, arthrodesis, arthroscopic techniques, arthromedullary bypass grafting, distraction of the knee joint, tunneling, or osteoperforation due to an increase in the number of revision surgeries and unsatisfactory results of knee joint replacement. Aim: This reviewed the international literature on knee joint replacement and consider alternative methods of surgical treatment of knee osteoarthritis. Materials and Methods: The analysis of international scientific publications on the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee joint was performed. Results: Joint-saving surgeries for knee osteoarthritis represent an alternative to arthroplasty and improve the quality of life of patients. Such interventions do not require specialized expensive equipment. The intervention is accompanied by a shorter recovery period, with a lower rate of complications than in the case of the replacement of the affected joint.