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Total Knee Replacement

Total knee arthroplasty, also called total knee replacement, is a common orthopedic surgery that replaces the damaged knee with a prosthetic knee. This procedure will often result in the elimination of pain, increased mobility and a return to your daily life and activities often put off due to knee pain.

Causes of knee pain include:

Arthritis – osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
Post-traumatic arthritis – arthritis that occurs as the result of an injury to the joint and can occur many years later
Avascular necrosis – disintegration or collapse of part of the knee joint caused by decreased blood supply over time, usually as the result of the previous injury to the hip

Knee pain happens when there is increased friction or decreased function of the bones that meet one another and allow the leg to bend.

What is total knee arthroplasty?

When a total knee replacement is performed, the whole knee isn’t actually replaced. What is replaced is the bone that meets the other bone in the joint. The surgeon cuts and reshapes the bone around the outside of the femur and tibia (the two leg bones that join at the knee), and if necessary, the knee cap. The bone that’s been removed is replaced by metal and plastic prosthetics that take the place of the bone and provide smooth movement and improved function.

Is total knee replacement right for you?

Making the choice to pursue a total knee replacement is a big decision made by you, your support system and your physician. A total knee replacement is often the next course of treatment for you after other non-surgical treatment options have failed to relieve your pain, negatively affecting quality of life.