Knee Replacement Surgery in Washington DC, Baltimore, Maryland, Virginia

Dr Evan Argintar examine's a patient's knee during an office visit at MedStar Health.

The orthopedic specialists at MedStar Health offer a variety of advanced knee replacement care and treatment options for patients with knees affected by arthritis, osteoporosis, or other diseases. Our cutting-edge procedures provide more precise surgery, faster recovery times, improved pain management, and exceptional results. Our surgeons are dedicated to helping you get back to your active life.

We provide care for all hip and knee conditions, from non-operative to operative care, including complex joint revisions. Our team of orthopedic specialists have years of training and experience in joint care and offer minimally invasive total knee replacement options. Our team is dedicated to helping you get back to your normal routine as quickly and safely as possible. Learn more about our surgery services offered in the Washington D.C., Baltimore, Maryland, and Virginia areas.

Our orthopedic knee doctors are:

Expertly trained and experienced in knee replacement surgery
Able to provide access to multidisciplinary care centers in one location
Experienced surgeons who use innovative technologies, including robotic-assisted techniques and computer navigation, that provide a more precise and safer procedure
Advancing the field of orthopedics by taking part in nation-wide training programs and researching the latest techniques
Able to provide you with access to a dedicated orthopedic knee surgery recovery program to ensure you have the best possible outcome

MedStar Orthopaedic Institute is a multidisciplinary network and home to leaders in a wide range of specialties. Our staff routinely coordinates continuing care with other specialists within our network on behalf of our patients through our Patient Care Coordination (PaCC) program. Each patient who undergoes a hip or knee replacement is assigned to PaCC coordinator who will provide all of your specific needs, based on recommendations from your surgeon.

Your PaCC coordinator will organize:

Access to patient and family educational resources
Safe discharge plans from the hospital, ensuring that all medical needs are fulfilled
Management of transitions to each level of care needed after hospital stay

What is knee replacement?

This surgery is designed to help you regain your strength, balance, and mobility. In a knee replacement, damaged tissue is removed, and the knee joint is resurfaced using artificial materials. The surgery is an option for patients who suffer from advanced arthritis of the knee or joint problems that limit basic activities and have not responded to other treatment.

Knee Replacement

The knee joint supports a large amount of weight, and over time can suffer structural damage. During knee replacement surgery the lower part of the femur and upper part of the tibia are removed and replaced with metal and synthetic pieces that are identical to the injured joint and bone.

Why is knee replacement surgery performed?

The most common conditions that requires surgery treatment include:

Chronic pain that does not respond to other treatment options

Types of knee replacement surgeries

Robotic Knee Replacement:
We offer a unique robotic knee replacement called Makoplasty, which can be scheduled for partial or total replacement. MedStar Health performs more Makoplasty procedures than any other hospital in Maryland.
Partial knee replacement:
The surgeon removes only the damaged portion of the knee, leaving the healthy parts untouched. Only one compartment is replaced, compared with three compartments in a full joint replacement. About 20 to 25 percent of those who need this replacement surgery are candidates.
Total knee replacement:
Also known as knee arthroplasty may help restore balance, mobility, and strength to your knee when nonsurgical treatments don’t work.

During the procedure, a knee surgeon will remove damaged tissue and recreate the surface of the knee joint using artificial materials. These artificial materials include metal and plastic components that help your knee joint glide smoothly. We believe a natural, customized fit to your anatomy is important.
Knee revision:
Knee replacements may last a lifetime, but in some cases, people develop additional complications. These problems can stem from various factors, including normal wear and tear, a fracture, an infection, or unexplained pain or stiffness. Knee revision surgery corrects these problems by replacing the damaged knee implant with a healthy new one.
Robotic knee replacement:
Your knee replacement should be as unique as you. That’s why we offer robotic surgery with assisted technology— 3D planning and guidance tools that give our surgeons the ability to develop a pre-operative plan for each patient and optimize the fit of the joint replacement during the surgery itself.

From beginning to end, this advanced, robotic-assisted technology allows us to perform a more accurate, less traumatic procedure compared to traditional surgery. And, it allows us to completely customize your new joint so that it feels natural and moves seamlessly.

What does knee replacement involve?

Our skilled physicians at MedStar Health offer a few different approaches to knee replacement surgery. These may include:

Partial knee replacement: Your surgeon removes only the damaged portion of your knee. Only one compartment is replaced, compared with three compartments in a full knee replacement.
Total knee replacement: When there is extensive knee osteoarthritis, knee replacement is required. With this procedure, the entire surfaces of the femur, tibia, and patella (or kneecap) is replaced and deformities of the leg and knee can be corrected.

What happens after surgery?

Most patients return directly home after knee replacement surgery, while some go to a rehabilitation hospital for more physical therapy. As with other joint surgeries, patients must do hourly exercises to strengthen the joint and regain mobility. Initial recovery after surgery takes about six to eight weeks, and then often continues for a full year.

Related Information

Videos

Outpatient Total Joint Replacement
Fred Young's story
Watch Medication After Surgery video
Watch Total Knee Replacement Surgery video – Graphic Content Warning – Surgical Procedure

What are the benefits of undergoing knee replacement?

Our goal is for you to experience the following benefits after having surgery:

Knee pain relief
Restored range of motion in the knee
Improved leg strength and balance
Ability to return to normal activities
Access to a multidisciplinary network of physicians
High-quality care for simple and complex joint conditions

Frequently asked questions

Why should I see an orthopedic surgeon specializing in knee replacement surgery?

While knee disorders are common, as with anything in life, doing something frequently allows you to be better and quicker at completing any task. Knee replacement surgery done by an experienced surgeon has a lower rate of complications and a better outcome.

In addition, some patients have more challenging anatomy and may have had previous procedures or injuries that can make the joint more complicated to treat. An experienced orthopedic surgeon specializing in knee replacement can offer the full spectrum of care options.

When you seek care from an orthopedic surgeon specializing in knee replacement at MedStar Health, you will be treated by a larger, experienced team, including anesthesiologists, nurses, therapists, and other experts, all working together to help you get back to your routine as quickly and safely as possible.
Do MedStar Health orthopedic surgeons offer minimally invasive options for knee replacement surgery?

Our primary goal with knee replacement surgery is to restore your function and return our patients to a full level of functional activities as quickly as possible.

When planning your procedure, we will discuss options to minimize disruption and surgical trauma to the surrounding tissues while we accurately replace the joint and maximize function after surgery. We use advanced techniques and technologies, including bloodless surgery, to get you back on your feet as soon as possible.

We offer a robotic surgical approach called MAKOplasty, which can be scheduled for partial or total knee replacement.

Most of our patients are allowed full weight bearing and are walking the day of the surgery. Often two to four weeks after surgery, they are walking without a walker or cane.
Will my lifestyle need to change after knee replacement surgery?

With the latest implant technology, you can do any activity you want, but you may put yourself at risk for revision surgery with frequent higher-impact activities. To maximize the longevity of the knee joint, we typically advise patients to stick to lower-impact activities while maintaining a healthy weight.

For activities that involve running, stopping, and pivoting, such as tennis or basketball, it is best to wait approximately four months after surgery. This is to allow the bone to fully heal to the implant and the soft-tissues to heal soundly before challenging them with higher activity levels.
Is there a standard for the maximum number of times a knee can be replaced or revised?

There is no limit to the number of surgeries you can have. The limiting factor is the quality of the remaining bone stock and the condition of the muscles and tissues around the joint, as the implant must be stabilized by bone, and the tissues are required to make the implant function.

When considering an additional revision, our team will work with you to ensure we understand why subsequent surgeries failed to provide the right plan for you. Even more so with revision knee replacement, it is important to select a surgeon experienced with these complex procedures.

Often these procedures may require advanced expertise and experience to aid the removal of the failed implant(s). In addition, special or custom implants may be necessary to address unique anatomy and challenges specific to an individual patient. Our goal with revision surgery is still to relieve pain and restore function. We try to allow all our revision patients to fully weight bear on the postoperative knee joint, although sometimes we need to restrict weight bearing for one or two months to allow for healing.

Online courses

Hip and Knee Replacement Class

This online pre-operative class is designed for patients preparing to undergo total knee replacement, partial knee replacement, or total hip replacement at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital.
Occupational Therapy Tips & Tricks

For outpatient hip or knee replacement patients, this online class will teach you how to prepare your home before your surgery and safely move around afterwards.