Gender Knee Replacement Designed for Women

More than 400,000 knee replacements are performed in the United States each year. Two-thirds of knee replacement patients are women. During the last year in which statistics are available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 311,000 women and 167,000 men had total knee replacements. Though traditional knee implants come in various sizes, their design has not been gender-specific even though the shape of a man's knee is different than a woman's knee.

The Zimmer Gender Knee, which was approved by the FDA in May 2006, has a thinner profile, more natural movement of the kneecap, and a shape specifically designed for women compared to traditional knee implants. You can view a webcast of a knee replacement surgery recorded live at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. (Note: The webcast is very informative but you should be aware it is an actual surgery).

"While the jury may be out as to whether gender-specific devices are needed, there is no doubt that the potential market for the products is huge - and growing", according to Orthopedic Technology Review. It will be interesting to see if gender specific knee replacements perform better for women over time. It has been 18 years since I had bilateral knee replacement surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. I found the webcast very interesting to watch. While viewing the knee replacement surgery webcast, an orthopedic surgeon explains every step along the way.

• Too Young for Joint Replacement?
• Step-by-Step: The Cause of Knee Pain
• Joint Replacement: When is it the Right Time?
• Gender Specific Knee Replacement Implants (Orthopedics at About.com)

_{Photo by Rick Rhay (iStockphoto)}