Total knee replacement surgery---also known as total knee arthroplasty---generally takes from one to two-and-a-half hours, with the patient usually under general anesthesia.
The Procedure
During the knee replacement surgery, the surgeon first removes any damaged cartilage and bone. The new metal and plastic prosthetic is then positioned on the bone, a procedure designed to return function and alignment to the knee.
Different Types of Knee Replacements
Although there are many different types of designs and materials used in a total knee replacement surgery, most consist of three components: the femoral component, made of strong metal; the tibial component, made of durable plastic; and the patellar component, which is also made of plastic.
The Instruments
The instruments used in the operation include:
Scalpel---used to make the incision
Bovie pencil---a device used to electrically cauterize, or burn and seal, the ends of blood vessels that are bleeding into the surgical area
Rake retractors---to pull the skin away from the incision
Rongeur---used to remove bone spurs
Drill---for drilling holes in the bones
Femoral, tibial cutting and patellar jigs---used to cut the bones
Mallet and pins---the pins help keep the prosthesis in place, and the mallet is used to hammer the pins into the bone
Bone saw---used to shape the bone for the prosthesis
Cement---used to adhere the replacement to the bone
Sutures---used to sew the skin back together after the procedure is complete
The Outcome
According to the Mayo Clinic, "more than 95 percent of those who have a total knee replacement experience significant pain relief, improved mobility and a better overall quality of life."
The Results
Total knee replacements have been performed successfully at all ages.
Tags: knee replacement, total knee, component made, knee replacement surgery, replacement surgery