Knee replacement

Health encyclopaedia - Alphabetical Topic List

| A |

| B |

| C |

| D |

| E |

| F |

| G |

| H |

| I |

| J |

| K |

| L |

| M |

| N |

| O |

| P |

| Q |

| R |

| S |

| T |

| U |

| V |

| W |

| X |

| Y |

Knee replacement surgery involves replacing a damaged or diseased knee joint with an artificial one.

Knee replacement is now a routine operation for knee pain when the knee joint is severely damaged, most commonly by arthritis. It is now as effective and reliable as hip replacement. The medical term for this type of surgery is a knee arthroplasty.

Modern knee replacements involve resurfacing the worn out joint surface whilst preserving the personâ€™s ligaments. The bones are covered with closely fitting implants that cover the worn cartilage to form an artificial joint.

Around 30,000 people a year in the UK have artificial knee joints inserted.

Why is it necessary?
When should it be done?
How is it performed?
Results
Recovery
Risks