Introduction
Until recently, public opinion of knee replacement was not favourable. Many would say, "But they don't last very long do they, doctor?" Nothing could be further from the truth. Knee replacement is now big business, with more than 12,000 per year being undertaken in the UK, a number that is rising exponentially. The global figure is of the order of 200,000. Time was when more hip replacements were being performed than knee replacements. In many parts of the world this has been reversed, knees now being the dominant joint. Success rates are also improving. The author suspects it will not be long before knee replacement is voted a greater success than hip replacement. Already very favourable 12-15 year results are being reported.