Total and Partial Knee Replacement
When medications, physical therapy and other conservative methods of treatment
no longer relieve pain, total knee replacement surgery may be considered.
Dr. Beyer will help you decide if the pain and loss of movement is severe
enough that you should undergo the procedure. A total knee replacement
will replace your arthritic knee with total knee implants, which have
been shown to provide long-term relief.
In general, 90-95% of patients are satisfied with the outcome of their
total knee replacement, 95% of the knee replacements are still in use
after 10-15 years.
In a total knee replacement, the diseased surfaces of the bones are replaced
with implants called prostheses. The femoral (thigh) component is made
of metal and covers the end of the thigh bone. The tibial (shin bone)
component is made up of both metal and polyethylene parts that cover the
top of the tibia. The metal forms the base of this component, while the
polyethylene is attached to the top of the metal. That polyethylene “insert”
serves as a cushion – a smooth gliding surface between the two metal
components. The third component, the patella or kneecap, may be all polyethylene
or a combination of metal and polyethylene.
The the total knee replacement is inserted through an incision and the
the new components are stabilized by your ligaments and muscles, just
as they are in your natural knee.