I heard about a new arthroscopic operation for total knee replacement. When I asked my doctor about it, I was told I'm not a good candidate. What does that mean?
You'll have to ask your doctor in order to know for sure what was meant in your case. Obesity and severe knee deformities are the most likely reasons why a patient wouldn't be considered for the new minimally invasive surgery (MIS).
Sometimes too much loss of knee motion is a problem. Other risk factors include brittle bones (osteoporosis), diabetes and/or smoking (poor wound healing), and previous surgery on that knee.
If a doctor is just learning to do the procedure, he or she might only take patients who have no known risk factors. Age may play a factor, as does the presence of other diseases or illness.
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