Knee Replacement at CortoClinics
Osteoarthritis of the knee can be extremely painful. It often also makes it difficult to move. In such cases, a knee replacement is an option. Your knee joint is then fully or partially replaced by an artificial knee joint. With a prosthesis, you will again be able to move freely and pain-free.
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Partial Knee Replacement
A partial knee replacement is surgery to replace only one part of the joint. This is an option when the knee is worn on only one side. The prosthesis is made of two parts, an upper and a lower component, which are made of metal. The bottom part also has a plastic layer on it. This allows the joint to hinge smoothly.
Total Knee Replacement
Total knee replacement is an entirely new knee; it involves replacing the entire knee joint. The prosthesis consists of upper and lower components made of metal, with a plastic disc between them. This disc allows the artificial joint to hinge smoothly.
Materials Used in Artificial Knees
The partial knee implant is made of cobalt-chrome, while the total knee implant is made of titanium. The plastic is polyethylene. These materials have been specifically designed for medical use, which means they are well tolerated by the body.
How long does a knee replacement last?
The average lifespan of a knee implant is currently 15-20 years. This depends on many factors, such as the stress on the implant and the bone quality.
The implants that CortoClinics uses have been tested for durability. These tests have shown that partial knee implants function well for at least 5 years, with total knee implants lasting 10 years in any event (ODEP-rating 5A and 10A). The tests are still ongoing, though, which means these numbers could change. The longer an implant is on the market, the higher the rating can go.
If an implant does eventually wear out or loosen, part or all of it can usually be replaced without issue. This is called a revision surgery.
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Still have questions about knee implants?
How long does a knee replacement last?
The average expected lifespan of a knee implant is between 15 and 20 years. But the length of time your knee replacement will last depends on many factors. How much stress is your implant subjected to? And what is the quality of the surrounding bone?
Implants are classified using the ODEP rating system. This benchmark is based on scientific evidence gathered on a group of implant users. The result is a rating made up of a number and a letter. The number indicates how many years the implant has lasted without problems among a high percentage of users. That number can be deceiving, though: an implant that has only been on the market for 5 years can never receive a rating of higher than 5. The longer a knee implant has been on the market, and thus also been studied, the higher the number can be. The letter in the benchmark indicates how large the group of users that participated in the study was. An A rating means that the group was large. For the knee implants that CortoClinics uses, the ODEP ratings are 5A for the partial knee prosthesis and 10A for the total knee prosthesis.
Is there also a kneecap implant?
Yes, there is. The standard procedure at CortoClinics, though, is for you to keep your kneecap in a total knee replacement, except in cases where that is not possible. Sometimes, the wear and tear is limited to only the kneecap and the rest of the joint is undamaged. In those cases, a kneecap prosthesis could be an option. This consists of a metal component (typically cobalt-chrome) affixed to the front of the thigh bone and a plastic component (polyethylene) cemented to the back side of the kneecap.
How long will it take to recover from knee replacement surgery?
Knee replacement surgery requires considerable rehabilitation. Most of your recovery occurs in the first 6 weeks to 3 months after surgery. That is not to say that the final result is achieved by that point. Some people require up to a year to achieve the final result and feel fully recovered.