Total Knee Replacement

Total knee replacement (knee arthroplasty) is a common surgery. It is most often done in a patient with osteoarthritis although can be done for trauma or other conditions.

The knee is a hinge joint made of the thigh bone (femur), leg bone (tibia) and the kneecap (patella). There are 2 areas of “C” shaped cartilage (lateral and medial menisci) which act as shock absorbers. There are 2 sets of ligaments, the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments and lateral and medial collateral ligaments to provide stabilization of the knee.

Conservative treatment is recommended first in patients with osteoarthritis. This consists of weight loss, physical therapy, non-addictive pain medication, corticosteroid and hyaluronic acid injections. If conservative measures fail, a total knee replacement is considered.

Total knee replacement is performed in an operating room most often with general anesthesia. There are several different approaches and types of prostheses used. This is determined on an individual basis and will be discussed prior to surgery.

Most patients stay 1-3 days in the hospital. Physical therapy is an important part of the recovery and will begin in the hospital and continue after discharge. After several months of therapy most people return to the previous activities. Some high impact activities are not recommended.