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What Is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Those with osteoarthritis of the knee may experience pain, which may keep them from performing and enjoying simple daily activities. In order to treat this condition, your doctor may recommend you have knee surgery with a knee implant manufactured by Wright Medical Technology, Inc. Facing surgery can be daunting. However, Wright has decades of experience producing revolutionary products which improve the lives of patients such as yourself, struggling with pain and unable to live the active lifestyle you once did.
Osteoarthritis is a common condition in which the cartilage that normally cushions the bones of a joint gradually begins to wear, causing the bones to rub together. Osteoarthritis of the knee is common because most of the body’s weight is carried by the knee joint. This can make the knee wear out more quickly than other joints. Symptoms include pain, swelling, and changes in appearance and function of the joint – which can contribute to loss of motion.
Anatomy
The knee joint is where the end of the thigh bone (femur) meets the top of the shin bone (tibia) and the knee cap (patella). The femur and tibia are connected by a set of muscles and ligaments, of which our thigh (quadriceps) muscles are primarily responsible for straightening the knee. The knee joint is cushioned by cartilage that covers the ends of the femur and tibia, helping them to move smoothly against each other. On the tibia lie two crescent-shaped pieces of cartilage called menisci. The menisci act as shock absorbers for the knee. They also provide a pocket-like surface on the top of the tibia for the femur to sit in. This pocket increases the stability of the knee and prevents it from sliding around during activities. In a knee joint that has osteoarthritis (arthritic knee), the cartilage wears down and bone begins to rub on bone. This creates pain and reduces the function of the knee.
Introduction to Total Knee Replacement
Before recommending surgery, your doctor may have considered other treatments for your knee pain. Total knee arthroplasty (commonly known as TKA) is one of the most successful treatments to restore knee function and stop arthritic pain, and may be recommended by your doctor. The goal of the surgery is to replace the arthritic surfaces of the bones with smooth artificial surfaces made of metal and plastic.
These new surfaces are designed to closely mimic normal knee function, while also preventing pain caused by the damaged ends of the bones rubbing together. Precision instruments are utilized to reshape the ends of the bones to accept the artificial knee implant. A metal “tray” is placed on top of the tibia. An implant-grade plastic (polyethylene) insert is locked into the top of this tray. The plastic now acts as the cushioning cartilage and menisci. Next, a highly polished, implant-grade metal component is placed on the end of the prepared femur. Finally, the underside of the patella (knee cap) may be removed and replaced with a plastic dome which will slide against the new joint.
