Knee Replacement

Orthopedic surgeons at Swedish perform over a thousand knee replacements each year. Physicians lead orthopedic treatment teams of experienced health-care professionals, following a meticulous standard of care for patients undergoing knee surgery. 

Partial knee replacement is considered a minimally invasive knee surgery. For patients, this means that surgery is done through a much smaller incision and there is typically a faster recovery when compared to total knee replacement surgery. Partial knee replacement is recommended if the damage to the knee is localized. For patients who seek surgical solutions early, before the diseased surfaces of their knee are widespread, a partial knee replacement may be an ideal solution.

Swedish performs more than a thousand knee replacement procedures annually, with many of those being partial knee replacements. In addition to using the Oxford® Partial Knee system, the Swedish Orthopedic Institute is one of the first providers in the region to offer the MAKOplasty® Partial Knee Resurfacing treatment.

MAKO Partial Knee Resurfacing is an innovative robotic-assisted treatment option for adults living with early to mid-stage osteoarthritis that has not progressed to all three compartments of the knee.

During the procedure, the diseased portion of the knee is resurfaced, sparing the patient’s healthy bone and surrounding tissue. An implant is then secured in the joint to allow the knee to move smoothly again. MAKO Partial Knee Resurfacing can:

  • Facilitate ideal implant positioning to result in a more natural feeling knee following surgery
  • Result in a more rapid recovery and shorter hospital stay than traditional knee replacement surgery

Candidates for total knee replacement are generally patients whose joints are severely damaged due to progressive arthritis, trauma or some other destructive joint disease.

Swedish is the first in the Pacific Northwest to offer MAKO robotic-arm assisted technology for total knee replacements. Patients suffering from degenerative knee diseases now have an alternative to traditional knee replacement surgery. MAKO is robotically-assisted surgery that offers a high level of accuracy for joint resurfacing and replacement. For patients, this means that surgery is done through a much smaller incision and there is typically a faster recovery when compared to total knee replacement surgery.

The advantages of using MAKO include patient-specific treatment plans with 3-D modeling derived from CT scans. This enables accurate pre-surgical planning of the implant size, orientation, and alignment. When integrated with the surgeon’s skilled hand, MAKO provides precise real-time intraoperative balancing of knee ligaments, which optimizes stability and range of motion, and promotes a more natural feeling knee for the patient.

Providers Specializing in Knee Replacement

At Swedish, you'll have access to a vast network of dedicated and compassionate providers who offer personalized care by focusing on treatment, prevention and health education.