KNEE REPLACEMENT FACT
There are more than 400,000 total knee replacements in the United States each year.
Joint deterioration can affect every aspect of a person's life. In its early stages it is common for people to ignore the symptoms of osteoarthritis, but as the disease progresses, activities like walking, driving and standing become challenging, painful and very difficult.
Knee replacement surgery is really a cartilage replacement. The knee itself is not replaced, only the cartilage on the ends of the bones. Knee replacement implants include a metal alloy on the bottom of the thighbone and polyethylene (plastic) on the top of the tibia and underneath the kneecap. The implant is designed to create a new, smoothly functioning joint that prevents painful bone-on-bone contact. Your surgeon may elect to replace all or part of your knee, depending on your condition and the extent to which your knee is affected by arthritis.
Patient Education information provided by Biomet, Inc. - Advanced Science for Real Living™