Knee Replacement

Overview

Knee replacement is a surgical procedure to replace a damaged knee joint (usually due to arthritis) with an artificial joint. Today's artificial joints are designed to mimic your knee's natural rolling, gliding motion, and a wide variety of options allows your surgeon to customize your joint for your body, age and activity level. Total knee replacement is the most common joint replacement surgery performed at Mayo Clinic.

Why choose Mayo Clinic

• Experience. Mayo Clinic surgeons perform more than 2,500 knee replacement surgeries annually.
• Specialized treatment team. You are cared for by a team which specializes in joint replacement, including orthopedic surgeons, rehabilitation doctors, therapists and nurses expert in postsurgical recovery.
• Long-term follow-up. Mayo Clinic tracks the performance of joint replacements over decades, and contacts you on a periodic basis to check on the status of your joint replacement.
• Learning from experience. Mayo's Total Joint Replacement Database contains information on every joint replacement surgery performed at Mayo Clinic. The database helps Mayo Clinic doctors determine which surgical technique and prosthesis type will be the most effective for you. The database also has led to many improvements in surgical techniques and prosthesis designs.
• Continuous improvement. Mayo Clinic physicians have published extensively on improving knee replacement care, including such topics as minimally invasive knee replacement, improvements in pain management after surgery and others.
• Cutting-edge medicine. Mayo Clinic's Biomechanics and Motion Analysis Laboratory is a leader in developing, modifying and patenting new prosthesis designs, ensuring you'll have access to the latest technology in your new joint.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., is ranked among the Best Hospitals for orthopedics by U.S. News & World Report.

Read more about knee replacement at MayoClinic.com.