Orthopedic Surgery FAQ
- Orthopedic Surgery FAQ
- Arthroscopic Surgery FAQ
- Minimally Invasive Surgery
- Pre-Operative Joint Replacement FAQ
- Post-Operative Joint Replacement FAQ
- Computer-Assisted Surgery
Orthopedic Surgery
1. What is the difference between partial and total knee replacement?
Partial knee replacement, a knee is made up of 3 compartments—medial, lateral and patellofemoral compartments. A partial knee replacement involves the removal and replacement of only one diseased knee compartment, allowing Dr. Kruse to preserve as much of the remaining healthy joint as possible. In comparison, total knee replacement surgery consists of the complete removal and replacement of the entire knee joint, including the attached ligaments, with a metal and plastic prosthesis.
Total knee replacement surgery is typically recommended for patients who have damage to more than one compartment of the knee joint, as well as patients over the age of 50. Younger patients and those who have sustained damage to only one compartment, often benefit most from partial knee replacement.
Learn more about the differences between Partial and Total knee replacement »
2. Does Dr. Kruse use minimally invasive techniques?
Dr. Kruse is dedicated to providing patients with the best treatment possible by utilizing the most recent advancements in orthopedic surgery, including arthroscopy and minimally invasive joint replacement.
Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical technique in which a special camera is used to see within the joint and specialized instruments are used to remove and/or repair the damaged areas. Arthroscopy is most commonly done on the knee and shoulder joint, but can also be done on the ankle, wrist and hip.
Minimally invasive joint replacement involves making smaller incisions in the skin and muscle. Various approaches are used that allow for muscle sparing and may accelerate recovery due to less tissue disruption intraoperatively. Dr. Kruse uses minimally invasive techniques whenever possible, as it typically leads to decreased scarring, a faster recovery, and less post-operative pain.
3. What are Dr. Kruse’s sports medicine specialties?
Dr. Kruse specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of sports related injuries. Sports injuries can occur in any joint in the body, and are often due to the overuse and overextension of joints. The most commonly treated sports injuries are rotator cuff tears, ACL tears, meniscus tears, labral tears, and shoulder dislocation.
Before pursuing surgical treatment, Dr. Kruse will often recommend more conservative options, such as rest, physical therapy, strengthening exercises, pain medications, and/or anti-inflammatory medications. If surgery remains the best option to relieve pain, Dr. Kruse will often use arthroscopic techniques to repair or remove the damaged areas.
4. How is carpal tunnel syndrome treated?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by an abnormal amount of pressure placed on the nerve within the wrist. Patients suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome will often experience numbness, weakness, and pain in the hand and wrist, which may radiates up the arm.
Patients with early carpal tunnel syndrome are often able to relieve symptoms by resting their hands and wrists, applying ice to the affected wrist, and modifying activities to relieve stress placed upon the wrist. Some patients require wrist splinting and even steroid injections to relieve the pressure on the nerve. If symptoms continue or worsen, Dr. Kruse will often recommend carpal tunnel release surgery, in which a minimally invasive technique is used to relieve pressure on the nerve in the wrist.
5. What are the benefits of custom-fit or gender-specific knee replacement?
By using custom-fit or gender-specific knee implants, Dr. Kruse is able to replace the damaged joint with more precision, in turn improving the alignment of joint components. There are several benefits of using a custom-fit or gender-specific implants during knee replacement surgery including—a more natural fit, improved range of motion, decreased recovery time, and longer implant life. The increased lifespan of the implant is due to the more natural fit, resulting in decreased pressure placed on the joint during movement.