Renewed popularity

• Patients’ demand and expectations
  • Small incision
  • Short hospital stay
  • Preservation of near-normal range of motion
• Improved implant materials
• Better design
• Better instruments

Since the early 2000’s there has been a renewed interest in partial replacement.

It was driven by several factors. The society’s expectations are ever increasing. Patients want small scars, short hospital stay and near-normal function of the knee after the operation, which a total knee replacement cannot always deliver.

There has been significant progress in the science of metals and alloys. Much stronger and more durable alloys have been discovered and some of the causes of failures (such as breaking of the prosthesis) have been eliminated. The designers of the new prosthesis looked carefully at the causes of poor early results and eliminated some of the design problems. The instruments needed to implant the prosthesis have been improved to the point of being able to do it through a small incision. All of that lead to the increased popularity of this operation.