Total knee arthroplasty is a procedure in which the diseased cartilage surfaces of the thinghbone (femur), shinbone (tibia), and kneecap (patella) are replaced by a prostheisis (implant) made of high-grade plastics and metal alloys. The knee is not actually replaced, instead the ends of the bones are resurfaced. More joint replacement surgeries are performed on the knee than any other joint in the body. This procedure is generally recommended for patients with severe pain and disability as a result of rhumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis or trauma. Total knee arthroplasty is an orthopedic success story with 90% of implants remaining intact at 15 years after surgery, and by providing patients with significant improvement in knee function and diminshed pain.

			The total knee prosthesis is composed of high-grade plastics and metal alloys. The implant is designed so that the metal surface articulates against the plastic, resulting in smooth movement and minimal wear. The lower end of your thighbone, the top surface of your shinbone, and the back surface of your kneecap may be replaced during this procedure. Surface replacement will be unique to your condition. Femoral Component: (thighbone) The metal femoral component curves around the end of your thighbone. You kneecap is able to move smoothly up and down as you bend thanks to an interior groove on the femoral component. One piece is commonly used to resurface the end of your femur, although a smaller unicompartmental component may be used if just one side of your thighbone is damaged. To learn more about the unicompartmental procedure, click here. Tibial Component: (shinbone) The tibial component includes a polyethylene cushion over a flat metal platform. These 2 pieces may be fixed together or separated with a flat surface or raised, sloping surface. Patellar Component: (kneecap) The patellar component mimicks the shape of your kneecap. It is a dome-shaped piece of high-grade plastic that is anchored to a flat metal plate. The type of implant that a patient may receive depends on many factors including your age, weight, bone quality, activity level and health. To learn more about the implants used by Dr. Caillouette, refer to Product Information.
			Download our comprehensive brochure about Total Knee Replacement to refer to offline here. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view items that you download from this site. If you do not already have this on your computer, you can download it from Adobe here.

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