Jiffy Knee Replacement in Western Pennsylvania
Same-Day Knee Replacement That Gets You Moving Again
If knee pain has started dictating what you can and can't do, and you've already been told a knee replacement is likely in your future, there's a newer option worth knowing about before you commit to the traditional approach. Jiffy Knee™ is a muscle- and tendon-sparing approach to total knee replacement designed to minimize disruption to the soft tissues around the knee and support a faster early recovery.
Unlike a traditional approach that may require extending the surgical exposure into the quadriceps tendon, Jiffy Knee™ uses specialized instruments and a muscle- and tendon-sparing exposure to access the knee joint while minimizing disruption to the surrounding soft tissues. For many patients, less soft-tissue disruption can mean a more comfortable and faster start to recovery.
Dr. Anthony Mustovich is one of a handful of surgeons in western Pennsylvania certified to perform the Jiffy Knee™ technique. If you're a candidate for a traditional total knee replacement, there's a good chance you're a candidate for this approach, too. Request an appointment below to find out.
Finding Out If This Fits Your Recovery
Are You a Candidate for Jiffy Knee™?
If knee arthritis is causing significant pain or limiting your daily activities despite treatments such as physical therapy, medications, or injections, it may be time to consider total knee replacement. Most patients who are candidates for a traditional total knee replacement can also be considered for the Jiffy Knee™ approach.
During your consultation, Dr. Mustovich will review your symptoms, examination, imaging, overall health, and prior treatment to determine whether knee replacement is appropriate and whether the Jiffy Knee™ technique is a good fit for you. Certain factors, including prior surgery around the knee, body habitus, anatomy, and the complexity of the knee replacement, may influence whether a muscle- and tendon-sparing approach is appropriate.
The clearest signs it's time for that conversation:
- Knee pain that limits walking or everyday activities
- Difficulty with stairs or getting in and out of a chair
- Pain that interferes with work, exercise, or activities you enjoy
- Persistent pain, including pain at rest or at night
If any of that sounds familiar, it's worth scheduling a consultation to find out for sure.
What Actually Happens on Surgery Day
What to Expect From Consultation to Recovery
Your Consultation and Planning
Before anything is scheduled, Dr. Mustovich reviews your imaging and health history in detail, talks through what a total knee replacement involves, and answers your questions. This is also when he determines whether the Jiffy Knee™ approach is appropriate for your anatomy and overall health and discusses what to expect before, during, and after surgery.
The Jiffy Knee™ Procedure
Jiffy Knee™ is a total knee replacement performed through a muscle- and tendon-sparing surgical approach. Using specialized instruments, Dr. Mustovich works between and around the soft tissues surrounding the knee rather than unnecessarily disrupting them to reach the joint. The damaged joint surfaces are then replaced using the same proven knee replacement implants used in traditional total knee replacement.
Robotic-Assisted Jiffy Knee™ Replacement
Dr. Mustovich uses the ROSA® Knee robotic system to assist with planning and performing many total knee replacements. During surgery, ROSA provides real-time information about the patient's anatomy, alignment, and soft-tissue balance, allowing Dr. Mustovich to individualize implant positioning and make precise adjustments based on the needs of each knee.
The robotic system does not perform the surgery or replace the surgeon's judgment. Dr. Mustovich remains in control throughout the procedure, using the information provided by ROSA to help guide bone preparation, implant positioning, and knee balance.
Combined with the muscle- and tendon-sparing Jiffy Knee™ approach, robotic assistance allows Dr. Mustovich to pair modern surgical technology with an approach designed to minimize unnecessary soft-tissue disruption and support early recovery.
Same-Day Recovery and Discharge
Patients are encouraged to get up and begin walking within hours of surgery with the help of the therapy team. For appropriately selected patients who are medically stable and meet physical therapy goals, returning home the same day is often an option.
Recovery continues at home, with physical therapy beginning early to restore motion, strength, and confidence with walking. Same-day discharge isn't required, however. Some patients are more comfortable staying overnight because of their age, medical needs, home support, travel distance, or simply personal preference. The discharge plan is individualized based on what is safest and most comfortable for each patient.
Getting Back to Your Life
What Recovery Looks Like After Jiffy Knee™
The muscle- and tendon-sparing Jiffy Knee™ approach is designed to support a faster and more comfortable early recovery after total knee replacement. Patients begin walking shortly after surgery and gradually increase their activity as strength, motion, and confidence return.
Many of Dr. Mustovich's patients are walking without a walker or cane within about a week of surgery. Some are ready to return to driving around 10 days after surgery, depending on which knee was replaced, whether they are still taking medications that impair driving, and whether they can safely and confidently operate a vehicle.
Pain management is individualized and uses a multimodal approach, combining several methods to control pain while minimizing reliance on narcotic medication. Physical therapy begins early and continues as needed to restore motion, strength, and function.
Early progress can happen quickly, but a knee replacement still requires time to heal. Every patient recovers at a different pace, and returning to work, exercise, and other activities depends on the demands of those activities and how your recovery progresses.
Being Honest About the Risks
Understanding the Risks of Knee Replacement Surgery
Every surgery carries risk, and total knee replacement is no exception. Potential complications include infection, blood clots, stiffness, wound-healing problems, nerve or blood vessel injury, implant-related complications, and the risks associated with anesthesia. Over time, knee replacement implants can also wear or loosen and may occasionally require additional surgery.
Jiffy Knee™ uses a muscle- and tendon-sparing approach designed to minimize unnecessary soft-tissue disruption, but it does not eliminate or fundamentally change the risks associated with total knee replacement. Jiffy Knee™ is still a total knee replacement, the difference is the surgical approach used to access the joint.
Dr. Mustovich will review your individual risk factors, expected benefits, and alternatives with you before surgery so you can make an informed decision about your treatment.
What to Know About Coverage
Understanding the Cost of Jiffy Knee™
Jiffy Knee™ is a surgical approach to total knee replacement, not a separate type of implant or procedure. There is no additional surgeon fee simply for using the Jiffy Knee™ technique. The same proven knee replacement implants used in traditional total knee replacement are used with the Jiffy Knee™ approach.
Insurance coverage for knee replacement depends on your individual plan, medical necessity, network participation, and other policy requirements. Because Jiffy Knee™ is performed as a total knee replacement rather than billed as a separate procedure, coverage is generally determined by your plan's benefits for total knee replacement.
If you have questions about your specific coverage or expected out-of-pocket costs, please contact our office before surgery. You can also visit our insurance page for information about plans accepted through West Virginia University.
Hear from Jiffy Knee™ Patients
Real Experiences With Jiffy Knee™
Recovery after knee replacement is different for every patient. Hearing from people who have been through the process can provide a better sense of what the first days and weeks after surgery may look like.
Hear directly from Dr. Mustovich's patients as they share their experiences with Jiffy Knee™, from making the decision to have knee replacement to getting back on their feet and returning to the activities that matter to them.
View Patient Stories
The Surgeon Behind the Technique
One of a Handful of Jiffy Knee™ Certified Surgeons
Dr. Anthony Mustovich is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and one of a handful of surgeons in western Pennsylvania certified to perform the Jiffy Knee™ technique. He brings more than a decade of orthopedic surgical experience to his practice, including service and leadership in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, and today performs a high volume of primary knee replacements in western Pennsylvania.
For Dr. Mustovich, Jiffy Knee™ is not a different knee replacement, it is a different approach to performing one. His goal is to combine proven total knee replacement principles and implants with a muscle- and tendon-sparing surgical approach designed to support a faster early recovery.
You can also view Dr. Mustovich's official Jiffy Knee™ surgeon profile for more information about his training and experience with the technique.
View Jiffy Knee™ Profile
Frequently Asked Questions
Jiffy Knee™ is a muscle- and tendon-sparing approach to total knee replacement designed to minimize disruption to the soft tissues around the knee. It uses the same proven knee replacement implants as traditional total knee replacement; the difference is the surgical approach used to access the joint. For many patients, less soft-tissue disruption can support a faster and more comfortable early recovery.
Recovery is different for every patient, but most patients begin walking within hours of surgery. Many of Dr. Mustovich's Jiffy Knee™ patients are walking without a walker or cane within about a week, and some are ready to return to driving around 10 days after surgery, depending on which knee was replaced, medications, and their ability to safely operate a vehicle. These are early recovery milestones, not the end of the healing process. Strength, endurance, swelling, and overall function continue to improve over the weeks and months after knee replacement, and each patient's recovery timeline is individualized.
The cost of total knee replacement varies depending on your insurance plan, network participation, deductible, and other coverage requirements. Jiffy Knee™ is a surgical approach to total knee replacement rather than a separate implant or procedure, and there is no additional surgeon fee simply for using the Jiffy Knee™ technique. Because insurance benefits vary, our office can help you determine your coverage and expected out-of-pocket costs before surgery. You can also visit our insurance page for information about plans accepted through West Virginia University.
If you're a candidate for a traditional total knee replacement, there's a good chance you can also be considered for the Jiffy Knee™ approach. The first step is determining whether knee replacement is appropriate based on your symptoms, examination, imaging, and response to nonsurgical treatment. Dr. Mustovich will then consider your overall health, anatomy, prior surgery, and other individual factors to determine whether the muscle- and tendon-sparing Jiffy Knee™ approach is appropriate for you.
The primary difference is the surgical approach used to access the knee joint. Traditional approaches may require greater disruption of the muscles and tendons surrounding the knee, while Jiffy Knee™ uses a muscle- and tendon-sparing exposure designed to minimize unnecessary soft-tissue disruption. The knee replacement itself is not fundamentally different. Jiffy Knee™ uses the same proven implants and follows the same principles of total knee replacement. The goal of the different surgical approach is to preserve the surrounding soft tissues and support a faster, more comfortable early recovery.
Request an appointment online or call our office to schedule a consultation with Dr. Mustovich. During your visit, he will review your symptoms, examination, and imaging to determine whether total knee replacement is appropriate and whether the Jiffy Knee™ approach is a good fit for you.