When people hear the words “knee replacement,” many imagine that the entire knee joint is removed and replaced with an artificial one.

That is not quite what happens.

Modern knee replacement is mainly a resurfacing procedure. Damaged cartilage and a relatively small amount of underlying bone are removed, and artificial components are placed over the prepared joint surfaces.

But there is another important question:

If only part of the knee is damaged, should you replace only that part — or replace the whole knee anyway?

The answer matters because a unicompartmental knee replacement (UKA) and a total knee replacement (TKA) are very different procedures, even though their prices in China can sometimes be surprisingly similar.

A Real Knee Replacement Case in Shenzhen

A case published by The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital involved a 68-year-old woman who had been experiencing knee pain for several years.

She had previously remained very active and enjoyed dancing after retirement. Over time, however, her right knee became increasingly painful after walking, climbing stairs or exercising.

Conservative treatments including medication, injections and topical treatments provided limited relief.

Eventually, her symptoms progressed to the point where walking just 100–200 metres became difficult.

X-rays showed significant osteoarthritis, particularly severe narrowing of the medial side of the knee joint.

Her knee movement had also become substantially restricted, with a range of motion of approximately 10° to 90°.

Doctors eventually recommended a total knee replacement.

Like many patients, she initially worried that the operation meant cutting away her entire knee.

In reality, total knee replacement does not mean removing the entire joint. The surgeon removes the worn joint surfaces, reshapes the ends of the femur and tibia, and places metal components over them with a polyethylene insert between the components.

She underwent surgery and was able to begin walking exercises shortly afterwards.

This case also raises an interesting question.

If much of the damage was concentrated on the inner side of the knee, why not perform a unicompartmental knee replacement instead?

To answer that, we first need to understand the difference between the two procedures.

Unicompartmental Knee Replacement vs Total Knee Replacement

The knee can be broadly divided into three compartments:

• the medial compartment — the inner side of the knee

• the lateral compartment — the outer side

• the patellofemoral compartment — between the kneecap and the femur

Unicompartmental Knee Replacement

A unicompartmental knee replacement, sometimes called a partial knee replacement, replaces only one damaged compartment.

Most commonly, this is the medial compartment.

The surgeon removes the damaged cartilage and a small amount of bone from that area and replaces it with a smaller artificial joint.

The remaining healthy parts of the knee are preserved.

Total Knee Replacement

A total knee replacement resurfaces a much larger portion of the knee.

The damaged surfaces of the femur and tibia are removed and replaced with metal components, with a polyethylene insert placed between them.

Depending on the implant design and the patient’s condition, some ligaments may also be removed or substituted by the implant.

The main difference, therefore, is not simply the size of the incision.

It is how much of the patient's natural knee is preserved.

Patient selection is extremely important.

International guidelines such as NICE recommend discussing both partial and total knee replacement with patients who have osteoarthritis isolated to the medial compartment rather than automatically performing a total knee replacement.

If You Can Have a Partial Knee Replacement, Why Not Just Replace the Whole Knee?

This is probably the most common question.

Patients sometimes think:

“I am already having surgery. Why not replace everything now so I never have to worry about the rest of the knee?”

It sounds logical, but medically, replacing more of the knee is not automatically better.

Imagine that one room in a house is badly damaged while the rest of the house is still in good condition.

You could renovate the entire house.

But doing so would mean removing perfectly good materials that did not need to be replaced.

The same principle applies to the knee.

If arthritis is genuinely limited to one compartment and the patient's ligaments, alignment and remaining cartilage are suitable, a partial knee replacement allows the surgeon to preserve much more of the natural knee.

That can have several advantages.

More bone is preserved.

More normal ligaments can remain intact.

The knee may retain more natural movement and proprioception.

Recovery can also be faster for appropriately selected patients.

Most importantly, bone and cartilage removed during a total knee replacement cannot be put back later.

So performing a total knee replacement simply because it seems “more complete” may mean sacrificing healthy structures unnecessarily.

That does not mean partial knee replacement is always better.

If arthritis involves several compartments, the knee is significantly deformed, the ligaments are unsuitable, or other structural problems are present, total knee replacement may be the more appropriate operation.

Partial knee replacement also has a somewhat higher risk of requiring another operation later, for example if arthritis progresses into the remaining compartments.

The goal is therefore not to perform the smaller operation or the larger operation.

The goal is to perform the operation that matches the actual condition of the knee.

How Much Does Knee Replacement Cost in China?

One reason patients become confused about these procedures is that the price difference is often much smaller than expected.

You might assume that replacing only one compartment should cost far less than replacing the whole knee.

In practice, that is not always the case in China.

We reviewed several publicly shared hospital bills from patients undergoing knee replacement in China in 2026.

One total knee replacement case without robotic assistance had a total hospital bill of approximately:

RMB 31,600

The bill included approximately:

• medications: RMB 2,950

• laboratory tests: RMB 2,377

• imaging and examinations: RMB 4,681

• treatment fees: RMB 3,530

• surgery and anaesthesia: RMB 6,581

• medical consumables: RMB 10,937

• hospital facilities: RMB 545

The patient stayed in hospital for 10 days.

Another total knee replacement case using robotic-assisted surgery had a total bill of approximately:

RMB 63,344

But there was an important reason for the much higher price.

The robotic-assisted orthopaedic procedure alone cost:

RMB 33,750

The artificial knee components shown on that bill totalled approximately:

RMB 4,908

If the robotic surgery fee were excluded, the remaining hospital costs would have been around RMB 30,000.

These two cases illustrate something important about knee replacement costs in China:

The implant itself is no longer necessarily the most expensive part of the operation.

A standard total knee replacement in a Chinese public hospital can sometimes cost around RMB 30,000–40,000, while robotic technology, premium implants, additional investigations or complex medical conditions can increase the bill considerably.

Actual prices vary by hospital, city, implant system, surgical technique and the patient's medical condition.

Why Can a Partial Knee Replacement Sometimes Cost More Than a Total Knee Replacement in China?

This sounds counterintuitive.

A partial knee implant is smaller.

Less bone is removed.

Fewer components are used.

So why can it sometimes cost the same as — or even more than — a full knee implant?

One major reason is China's national volume-based procurement system.

China introduced national bulk purchasing for artificial joints in 2021.

The programme dramatically reduced the price of total knee implants.

According to China's National Healthcare Security Administration, the average price of an artificial knee joint fell from around RMB 32,000 to just over RMB 5,000, a reduction of more than 80%.

The procurement programme continued with a nationwide renewal round in 2024 involving more than 6,000 hospitals.

However, there is an important distinction.

The national bulk procurement programme primarily covers total knee replacement systems.

Unicompartmental knee implants are treated differently.

China's National Healthcare Security Administration specifically states that unicompartmental knee implants may have their listed prices determined with reference to the tendered price of complete knee replacement systems.

In other words, partial knee implants are not benefiting from exactly the same large-volume national purchasing mechanism as standard total knee systems.

That can create an unusual situation:

A smaller partial knee implant may cost as much as, or occasionally more than, a complete total knee implant.

It is not because the partial implant uses more material.

It is because the pricing and procurement systems are different.

Total knee replacement has enormous purchasing volume.

Hospitals across China collectively purchase hundreds of thousands of artificial joints, giving the national procurement programme significant negotiating power.

Partial knee replacement is performed less frequently and does not have the same purchasing scale.

This is one reason why the final hospital bill for partial and total knee replacement can sometimes be surprisingly close.

So Should Cost Determine Which Knee Replacement You Choose?

Usually, no.

If a patient is suitable for a partial knee replacement, choosing a total knee replacement simply because the price is similar does not necessarily provide better value.

You are not buying more artificial joint for the same money.

You are deciding how much of your natural knee should be removed.

If only one compartment is damaged and the rest of the knee remains healthy, preserving those structures may be valuable.

If arthritis is already widespread, total knee replacement may provide a more appropriate and durable reconstruction.

The decision should therefore be based primarily on:

• where the arthritis is located

• the condition of the remaining cartilage

• ligament stability

• knee alignment and deformity

• range of motion

• symptoms and functional limitations

• the surgeon's assessment

Price comes afterwards.

The cheapest procedure is not automatically the best procedure.

And the procedure that replaces the most tissue is not automatically the best procedure either.

The aim is to replace only what actually needs replacing.

Considering Knee Replacement in China?

China MedCare helps international patients arrange consultations and treatment at major Chinese hospitals.

For knee replacement patients, we can help you understand available hospital options, arrange an orthopaedic consultation and obtain a clearer estimate of expected treatment costs before travelling.

Medical Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Whether partial or total knee replacement is appropriate requires assessment by an orthopaedic surgeon based on your symptoms, physical examination and imaging.