The process of choosing a surgeon and a surgery is not unlike deciding which car, boat or ATV to buy - except it is the body you have to live in, so you need to decide whether to accept "good enough" or work to find "the very best for me."

Whether to have partial or full replacement, and which technique, is a question for your physician. None of the rest of us have seen your x-rays, or know your complete health history and would not be qualified to make the determination anyway.

If the doctor says "it's up to you", the read all the pros and cons of each type of surgery, written by doctors, on medically respected sites. Make a list of your own pros & cons for each type, and a list of still unanswered questions. Then it's time to come back here to ask other people what their experiences were, and you can formulate questions for the doctor. Go back to the doctor with any questions, and if they won't answer, you need to consider whether to find a different surgeon.

And remember, the surgery itself is only part of the whole. If anyone tells you recovery takes 4-8 weeks, run the other way. Surgical recovery maybe, but complete healing and full function takes 6 months to a year or longer. Allow nobody to convince you there won't be pain - there will - it varies by individual, but once you have surgery you have to deal with it while pursuing recovery, if you quit the knee will never be "right". Being in the best possible condition before surgery, strengthening your quads, losing excess weight and/or stopping smoking will have a big effect on recovery. Not waiting too long, or until a crisis like a fracture or loss of critical bone mass forces immediate surgery is also important. Finally, committing fully to home PT daily for at least 8 months, possibly longer is crucial.

Are you to the point of finding a surgeon yet?