Knee replacement

The knee is the largest joint in the body, and it is affected by arthritis more than any other joint. The knee joint is a “hinge” joint because, like the hinges on a door, the joint moves back and forth. The knee also has the ability to rotate (turn) and translate (glide).

The knee joint is composed of three parts: the femur (thigh bone), tibia (shin bone) and patella (knee cap). There are two groups of muscles in the knee: the quadriceps, located on the front of the thighs, which straighten the legs; and the hamstrings, located in the back of the legs, which bend the knee.

In a normal knee, these bones are covered with smooth cartilage that cushions the bones and enables them to move easily. In an arthritic knee, the cartilage layers are destroyed, which results in bone rubbing against bone. This causes pain, muscle weakness and limited motion.

A knee replacement also called a knee arthroplasty, replaces the damaged parts of the knee with prosthetic parts to restore range of motion and comfort.

To diagnose a knee problem, your surgeon will take a complete medical history, perform a physical examination and order diagnostic imaging tests. These imaging tests will help your doctor see where your knee joint is damaged, as well as help determine if a knee replacement is the right treatment for you.

In a total knee replacement, the diseased knee joint is removed and replaced with an artificial knee joint. A knee prosthesis is made of a combination of metal and plastic or metal and ceramic. There are three basic parts to a total knee replacement joint:

• The femoral component covers your thigh bone.
• The tibial component covers the top of your shin bone.
• The patella component covers the underside of your knee cap.

Our orthopedic surgeons use a robotic-assisted surgical platform to provide a patient-specific, 3D model to pre-plan the prosthetic implant.

The components are either cemented in place or designed to have your own bone grow and adhere to the implant. Your replacement joint is extremely strong and moves together to allow normal motion of the knee joint.

Based on your age, bone quality, conditions of your ligaments and the area of the knee affected, your surgeon will determine the best type of replacement joint for you.

For some people experiencing knee pain, there may only be damage on one side of the knee. In this case, the partial, or unicompartmental, knee replacement may be a better option because only one part of the joint needs to be resurfaced.

With a partial knee replacement, more of the patient’s natural anatomy can be preserved, and many patients return to their daily routine faster than patients who have a total knee replacement.