On Call Online orthopaedics questions More recent orthopaedics questions These answers are not meant to replace the personal care or advice of your physician. Please consult with your physician regarding your medical care. Your browser may allow you to search this web page for a keyword or phrase by using the find command. There are many factors to consider when deciding between knee resurfacing vs. knee replacement. The surgeon evaluating your particular problem best determines them.
Some surgeons perform knee resurfacing with knee replacement.
Many factors go into the decision, including the age of the person, the underlying disease process or injury, whether any prior procedures have been done on the knee and the part of the joint to be resurfaced. How long it lasts varies, depending on the individual and how well he or she heals. It may be a stopgap measure that will require a total knee replacement in the future. It may make you more confused, but it might give you an idea of some questions to ask your physician. Ask your family doctor to recommend an orthopedic surgeon or select a large hospital that does lots of joint replacements and find out about their physicians on staff.