Joint preservation knee surgery includes a range of procedures aimed at maintaining your natural knee joint and delaying, or even avoiding, the need for a total knee replacement. This approach is particularly suited to younger or more active individuals, as well as those with early-stage knee conditions who want to maintain function, mobility, and quality of life for as long as possible. Unlike joint replacement, which involves replacing damaged parts of the joint with an artificial implant, joint preservation focuses on correcting underlying issues, such as malalignment, cartilage damage, or ligament instability while keeping the original joint structures intact.

Conditions commonly treated with joint preservation techniques include early-stage osteoarthritis, where damage is localised to a specific area of cartilage; meniscal injuries, where preserving the cushioning function of the meniscus is possible; and ligament injuries that may benefit from reconstruction to restore stability. Procedures such as osteotomy (to correct knee malalignment), cartilage grafting or repair (e.g. MACI, microfracture), and meniscal repair can all play a role. Dr Liddell offers personalised surgical plans designed to reduce pain, restore function, and help you stay active. Joint preservation is generally best suited for patients in the early to mid-stages of knee degeneration who are not yet ready for joint replacement surgery.