What Is Patello-Femoral Knee Replacement?

Your knee joint is comprised of three bones. Your thighbone (femur) sits on top of your shinbone (tibia). When you bend or straighten your knee, the rounded end of your thighbone rolls and glides across the relatively flat upper surface of your shinbone. The third bone is often called the kneecap (patella), which is attached to the muscles, allowing you to straighten your knee. Your kneecap provides leverage and reduces strain on these muscles.

If you’re diagnosed with patello-femoral disease, your doctor may recommend a procedure that replaces just the diseased portions of your knee, the femur and patella, while preserving the undamaged portion of your knee, your tibia. This is commonly referred to as a patello-femoral knee replacement, and it can relieve your knee pain.

A successful patello-femoral knee replacement may delay, and, in some cases, prevent a more extensive total knee replacement, which replaces all three compartments of the knee.

The Zimmer^® Gender Solutions^® Patello-Femoral Joint System is an early intervention option for active patients that preserves more bone while allowing for a smaller incision. This means you have the potential for a quicker recovery. The procedure is designed to be used with a Zimmer^® Minimally Invasive Solutions™ (MIS) technique, which minimizes damage to soft tissue.