Knee Replacement

On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Start Here

Learn More

• Living With
• Related Issues
• Genetics

See, Play and Learn

• Images
• Videos and Tutorials

Research

• Statistics and Research
• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Find an Expert

For You

• Seniors
• Patient Handouts

Summary

Knee replacement is surgery for people with severe knee damage. Knee replacement can relieve pain and allow you to be more active. Your doctor may recommend it if you have knee pain and medicine and other treatments are not helping you anymore.

When you have a total knee replacement, the surgeon removes damaged cartilage and bone from the surface of your knee joint and replaces them with a man-made surface of metal and plastic. In a partial knee replacement, the surgeon only replaces one part of your knee joint. The surgery can cause scarring, blood clots, and, rarely, infections. After a knee replacement, you will no longer be able to do certain activities, such as jogging and high-impact sports.

Start Here

• Joint Replacement Surgery: Health Information Basics for You and Your Family (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) Also in Spanish
• Knee Replacement (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Total Knee Replacement (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) Also in Spanish
• Total Knee Replacement (Arthroplasty) (Beyond the Basics) (UpToDate)

Living With

• Knee Rehabilitation Exercises (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)

Related Issues

• Deep Vein Thrombosis (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)

Genetics

• Genetics Home Reference: osteoarthritis (National Library of Medicine)

Images

• Knee joint replacement - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Partial knee replacement - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Videos and Tutorials

• Bi-Cruciate Stabilized (BCS) Total Knee System (BroadcastMed) - Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, 12/11/2013
• Computer Guided Knee Replacement (BroadcastMed) - Broward Health North Medical Center, Deerfield Beach, FL, 6/15/2012
• Cruciate Retaining (CR) Knee System (BroadcastMed) - Wilcox Medical Center, Lihue, HI, 3/06/2014
• Knee Replacement for Women with Patient-Specific Instructions (BroadcastMed) - Duke University, Durham, NC, 10/28/2010
• Knee System Utilizing Personalized Solutions Instrumentation (BroadcastMed) - Woodwinds Health Campus, Woodbury, MN, 12/13/2013
• Preventing Blood Clots After Orthopaedic Surgery (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
• Same Day Surgery for a Total Knee System (BroadcastMed) - University Orthopedics Center, State College, PA, 8/21/2014

Statistics and Research

• Commonly Prescribed Blood Thinner Associated with Higher Risk of Post-Surgery Complications (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Arthroplasty (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Knee Replacement (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Reliable outcomes and survivorship of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty for isolated...
• Article: Effectiveness of liposome bupivacaine for postoperative pain control in total...
• Article: The effect of triclosan-coated sutures on the rate of surgical...
• Knee Replacement -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• Find a Doctor in American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons)
• National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Also in Spanish

Seniors

• Older Person's Guide to Joint Replacement (AGS Foundation for Health in Aging)

Patient Handouts

• Deciding to have knee or hip replacement (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Getting your home ready - knee or hip surgery (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Hip or knee replacement - after - what to ask your doctor (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Knee joint replacement (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Knee joint replacement - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Partial knee replacement (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish