Arthroplasty – current strategies for the management of knee osteoarthritis

Summary

Osteoarthritis of the knee is a major clinical burden. Recent decades have witnessed an improved understanding of knee physiology and kinematics, which has led to the introduction of a wide range of enhanced prosthetic implant designs for a variety of indications. However, the increase in the number of procedures performed annually has led to complications being encountered at higher rates than ever before, requiring the development of optimised therapeutic strategies. The future holds several promising options, primarily in the treatment of early osteoarthritis, biological therapy, surgical navigation and patient-specific implants. This review provides an insight into the current options of knee arthroplasty, with emphasis on available designs, and examines the complications that may be encountered.

Keywords: Knee Arthroplaty, Knee replacement, total knee replacement, unicondylar prosthesis, patellofemoral joint, patellofemoral joint replacement, patellofemoral joint resurfacing, knee resurfacing, Knee osteoarthritis