Total knee replacement

Knee replacement surgery is a surgical procedure that is recommended when knee pain and loss of function become severe and medications and other treatments no longer relieve pain. It involves replacing the surface of the end of the femur (thigh bone) with a metal prosthesis and the top surface of the tibia (lower leg bone) with a metal prosthesis. A strong plastic spacer is placed between these two metal pieces to create a smooth gliding surface. A strong plastic button may also be placed on the undersurface of the patella (back of the kneecap).