Today total knee replacement is one of the most commonly performed orthopedic surgical procedures. Hundreds of thousands of people undergo this procedure annually in order to relieve their pain and suffering due to arthritic conditions and also due to trauma.
The first known knee replacement was performed in the 1890’s. Back then an ivory hinged apparatus’ was used to replace the knee joint. Many complications occurred from this primitive procedure and it wasn’t widely used due to the high rate of infection. In the 1950’s and 1960’s hinged apparatus’ were used in knee replacement surgery but they often didn’t last long, and they didn’t fully restore range of motion to the knee joint. The modern era of total knee replacement really began in the 1970’s. Thanks to advances in medical technology, knee replacement implants are now able to last up to 20 years, and range of motion is almost the same as that of a normal knee.
Total knee replacement surgery involves replacement of the damaged or diseased knee joint with either plastic or metal components that allow for proper range of motion. While total knee replacement is the more common variation of this procedure, approximately 20 percent of people are able to have a partial knee replacement procedure performed. The determining factor is the severity of the deformity.
It is estimated that by the year 2030, as a larger percentage of the population ages, the number of procedures performed annually will be more than 3 million. Most people who have had knee replacement surgery lead fully active lives and the quality of their lives is undoubtedly improved owing to the procedure. For more information about knee replacement surgery, please feel free to call our Orthopedic Department to schedule an appointment. They can be reached at 718-206-6923.
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