Type of Surgery
Information

Last updated: 11/24/2009
Kneecap removal, or patellectomy, is the partial or total surgical removal of the patella, commonly called the kneecap.
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This narrated 3D animation shows the anatomy of the knee joint and how a knee replacement (artificial knee placement) takes place. The movement of the artificial joint is shown.
Other Information
Kneecap removal, or patellectomy, is the surgical removal of the patella, commonly called the kneecap.
Kneecap removal is performed under either general or local anesthesia at a hospital or freestanding surgical center, by an orthopedic surgeon. The surgeon makes an incision around the kneecap. Then, the muscles and tendons attached to the kneecap are cut and the kneecap is removed. Next, the muscles are sewed back together, and the skin is closed with sutures or clips that stay in place about one week. Any hospital stay is generally brief.
Other Information
New procedures like minimally invasive procedures are often subject to scrutiny, but I think that one of the biggest problems facing these innovative procedures is for people to understand exactly what we do.
-Dr. Michael Perry, Laser Spine institute
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