SWFL man finds pain relief with ‘Oxford Partial’ knee replacement

A physician in Southwest Florida offered a more cost effective procedure by completing a partial knee replacement.

The average cost to replace an entire knee in the U.S. is nearly $50,000, according to healthline.com.

Winfried Kron, of Charlotte County, said he’s dealt with knee pain for several years.

“I put it off too long,” Kron said. “I should’ve had it done years ago.”

Kron considered getting his knees replaced, but Mark Davis, an orthopedic surgeon, said he didn’t need an entire knee replacement and could opt for another procedure called the Oxford Partial technique.

“It’s an excellent surgery for older people, because it’s much easier to recover from than a full knee replacement,” Dr. Davis said.

The Oxford Partial was developed in England and approved in 2004 by the FDA for use in the United States.

Dr. Davis is one of 13 original surgeons selected to teach around the country, and one of eight surgeons offering the technique in Southwest Florida.

“Almost every day, I have at least one person tell me I gave them their life back,” Dr. Davis said. “And you can’t put a price on that.”

The risk for complication from knee surgery includes inflection, implant problems or nerve or blood vessel damage. However, Davis added a procedure benefit of limited physical therapy.

“It really is, potentially, the last surgery you’d ever need,” Dr. Davis said.

Kron said he’s looking forward to playing sports, getting back on his boat and mowing the lawn.

Kron said Medicare and supplemental insurance paid for his surgery. He expects to be fully recovered in about four weeks. However, a total knee replacement can take between three months and one year of recovery time.