If you and your doctor have already tried treating your osteoarthritis with conservative options such as NSAIDs, corticosteroids, and viscosupplementation, you may be considering a total knee replacement surgery.

Traditional total knee replacement surgery replaces a portion of your femur (thigh bone), your patella (knee cap), and your tibia (shin bone) with metal implants.  It is a common surgical procedure with more than 35,000 procedures done annually in Australia.  For many, it has been the only option available to restore function and remove pain when afflicted with osteoarthritis.

However, the significant bone removal required for a total knee replacement can limit future treatment options.  Many patients delay treatment for years either because they fear the invasive surgery, or because their surgeons do not want to put them at risk for even more invasive revision surgery later in their life.  This is of particular concern for young and active patients.