Total Knee System
Anatomical Total Knee System SLK Evo™ IFU document available for download QP-08-49 ENG.
Total Knee replacement, or arthroplasty of the knee, is a commonly performed operation done to relieve the pain and disability from rheumatoid arthritis or more often osteoarthritis of the knee.
Arthritis of the knees can be mechanical (osteoarthritis) in which the surfaces of the knee gradually "wear out". This may be due to either old age, angular deformity, or old fractures. Systemic arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis or gout affects the synovium (the membrane tissue in the joint that normally lubricates the joint), becomes pathologic and the surface of the joint is destroyed.
In either case when the surface of the joint is worn away, at a certain point in time walking and activities of daily living become very difficult. Standardized treatment such as weight loss, anti-inflammatory medication, braces, orthotics, steroid injections, physical therapy, etc. are all tried and if effective that is fine.
In many cases, however, despite the above non-surgical treatments, functional limitations persist. Most people who are considering knee replacement are limited to walking less than three to six blocks, or less than 15 to 20 minutes. They have difficult time getting up out of a chair. They have rest pain. They are taking anti-inflammatory medication and/or pain medicine on a regular basis and the pain is generally progressive.
It is important to realize that a knee "replacement" is actually just a "resurfacing" of the knee joint. The femur or thigh bone is covered with a metal covering and plastic is placed on the tibia so that instead of irregular arthritic surfaces, one has metal and plastic articulating which produces a smooth non-patent surface. In most cases the undersurface of the knee cap is also replaced with a plastic surface so that this articulates with the femoral surface.
