Total joint replacement is a surgical procedure in which a damaged joint is replaced with a prosthesis, or artificial joint. The prosthesis is designed to move like a normal joint.
Total knee replacement is one of the greatest advances in orthopedic surgery this century. Its design and use are the result of the work of orthopedic surgeons who, in collaboration with a team of engineers, developed the technique and materials used in knee replacements.
The new joint consists of several parts: a metal component that is attached to the femur, a smaller metal component that is attached to the tibia, and a high-density polyethylene spacer placed on top of the latter, which acts as the cartilage of the new joint. In addition, a circular piece of polyethylene is placed to replace the articular surface of the patella.
This procedure takes about two hours and is usually performed under spinal anesthesia.