Knee Replacement Surgery

Knee replacement surgery, also known as total knee arthroplasty, can help relieve pain and restore function in severely diseased knee joints. Knee replacement can improve knee problems associated with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other degenerative conditions, such as avascular necrosis. During knee replacement, a surgeon cuts away damaged bone and cartilage from your thighbone, shinbone and kneecap and replaces it with an artificial joint made of metal alloys, high-grade plastics and polymers. The average hospital stay after knee joint replacement is usually three to five days. The vast majority of people who undergo knee joint replacement surgery have dramatic improvement. Improvements in surgical technique and artificial joint materials allow artificial joints to last longer than 20 years.