What is a Total Knee Replacement?

The knee is a complicated joint which is made up of muscle, tendons, ligaments, and bones. These components permit it to move in a number of directions enabling us to sit, stand, walk, climb stairs, and change direction (pivot). There are three bones: the femur (thigh bone), the tibia (shin bone), and the patella (knee cap). The surface of the ends of these bones is covered in cartilage. A cartilage pad, called the meniscus, sits between the femur and the tibia. The entire joint is bathed in a slippery fluid - synovial fluid - which lubricates the joint and also supplies the cartilage with nutrients. The knee can be damaged by trauma (for example, falls, sports injuries, car accidents) or through disease such as with arthritis. Following trauma or disease, the articular cartilage wears away and raw bone begins to rub against raw bone. Once enough damage has occurred, the knee becomes painful and causes discomfort, limping, instability, giving way, and swelling, resulting in a decrease in the motion and function of the knee joint.

Total Knee Replacement is a surgical procedure which involves the replacement of the worn-out parts of the knee with an artificial joint. A total knee replacement implies that everything about the joint is being replaced - which isn't true. What is actually being done is just a resurfacing of the bones of the joint. The prosthesis that is used is made up of plastic and metal and is placed on the joint surface of each bone. Most of the ligaments and all of the tendons remain intact. This allows the bones to glide against each other and allow the knee to bend and move without pain.

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Last Modified: March 1, 2007