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Total Knee Replacement
Knee replacement was first performed in 1968 and is probably one of the most important orthopaedic surgical advances of this century. Improvements in surgical materials and techniques since then have greatly increased its effectiveness. About 267,000 total knee replacements are performed each year in the United States.
Your knee joint is the junction of three bones: the thigh bone (femur), the shin bone (tibia) and the knee cap (patella). The ends of the bones are covered with a thick soft cushion called cartilage. If this cartilage is damaged or worn away, the underlying bones rub together, causing the pain and inflammation of arthritis. “Arthritis” is an inflammation of a joint, causing pain, swelling, stiffness, instability and often deformity. You may even begin to feel pain while you’re sitting or lying down. Severe arthritis interferes with a person’s activities and limits lifestyle. The primary purpose for a total knee replacement is to reduce pain and to improve your quality of life. It may also help to restore motion, straighten the leg, and improve stability and function of the joint. In total knee replacement, the cartilage of the joint is replaced with metal and plastic surfaces which can function similar to a normal joint. In reality, a total knee replacement is a “resurfacing” of the joint. Most of the supporting ligaments, tendons and muscles around the knee joint are retained. The new joint’s surfaces mimic the natural knee it replaces. By resurfacing your knee’s damaged and worn surfaces, total knee replacement surgery can relieve your pain, correct your leg deformity, and help you resume your normal activities. Although the idea of getting an artificial knee joint may be intimidating, it is one of the safest and most effective medical procedures.
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