Total Knee Replacement
Healthy knees help make an active life possible, but arthritis pain can hold you back. The Astera Health orthopedics team offers total and partial knee replacement surgeries to help patients across Central Minnesota enjoy the activities they treasure.
Schedule online
*Check for correct provider location before confirming appointment
Total Knee Replacements at Astera Health
Healthy knees help make an active life possible, but arthritis pain can hold you back. The Astera Health orthopedics team offers total and partial knee replacement surgeries to help patients across Central Minnesota enjoy the activities they treasure.
Are you wondering whether knee replacement makes sense for you? If knee pain makes daily activities difficult, and other treatments, such as pain-relieving medications, haven’t helped, surgery may be a good option. Our team will help you choose the type of knee replacement that’s right for you.
We don’t just replace painful knees. We also offer other types of joint replacement, including total hip replacement and total shoulder replacement.
Our knee replacement options
Knee replacement—also known as knee arthroplasty—involves removing bone and cartilage damaged by arthritis and replacing them with plastic and metal parts. In most cases, these artificial joints last at least 10 to 20 years, and some can last even longer.
At Astera, patients have two knee replacement options.
- Total knee replacement. Our team performs total knee replacement using ROSA® Knee Robotic Technology. Using the robotic system, your surgeon creates a 3D model of your knee to plan the surgery. Then, during the operation, the robot combines the surgical plan with real-time information about your knee so your surgeon can perform a highly precise surgery that’s personalized to you. Watch a patient discuss his ROSA knee replacement surgery.
- Partial knee replacement. Some patients only have damage in one of the knee’s three compartments and may not need a total knee replacement. For them, we offer the Oxford® Partial Knee, the world’s most widely used partial knee replacement system. In this surgery, the surgeon only replaces the inside compartment of the joint.
How to prepare for knee replacement surgery
Before having knee replacement surgery, you’ll visit the Astera Health Wadena Campus to attend Joint Education class, where Astera orthopedics experts will answer your questions and explain what to expect before, during, and after surgery. Even better, the class allows you to meet other upcoming knee replacement patients and support each other.
Want more information about how to prepare? Read our knee replacement guidebook.
In addition to attending the Joint Education class, you can prepare for surgery by:
- Arranging for friends or family members to help you after surgery
- Following your surgeon’s instructions
- Making safety modifications to your home, including clearing walkways of loose rugs and cords and installing a raised toilet and safety bars in the shower or bath
- Managing chronic health conditions
What to expect
Before your surgery, you’ll receive anesthesia from a certified registered nurse anesthetist. They’ll determine the most appropriate form of anesthesia for you based on your health history and the type of knee replacement.
The surgery takes one to two hours. Afterward, you’ll go to the recovery room or post-anesthesia care unit before moving to a hospital room. You’ll take your first steps with your new knee just hours after surgery. Most patients will spend the night and typically go home the following day.
Recovering from knee replacement
Your surgeon may prescribe blood thinners to reduce the risk of blood clots, a potential complication of surgery. Follow your surgeon’s postoperative instructions to the letter and take steps to help your recovery, including:
- Eat healthy to support wound healing.
- Reduce your risk of falls by using a walker or cane at first.
- Stay active and attend physical therapy as directed. Working with a physical therapist at home or in an outpatient clinic will improve strength and range of motion. Walking and climbing stairs, as your therapist allows, will improve your mobility.
- Take prescription medications or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications to relieve pain.
Within six weeks after surgery, you should be able to return to most of your normal activities.
Our orthopedics providers
Click to find out more about the dedicated providers below:
Dreaming of a life without discomfort? Let’s get started. Find an orthopedic specialist at Astera Health to help get you on the road to joint replacement and recovery.
Why choose Astera Health?
When you need medical care, you want to ensure you’re getting the best care possible. Astera strives to ensure that all patients always receive a high level of service. Patients love our clinics for all of the following reasons:
Care for all ages
We provide comprehensive services for all ages, from young children to older adults.
Personalized treatment
We develop customized treatment plans to meet the unique needs of every patient, ensuring they receive the best care.
Compassionate care
Our medical staff takes a personal interest in all our patients, providing compassionate care in your time of need.
