The knee is one of the main joints of the human body .
In fact, situated between the distal portion of the femur (superiorly) and the proximal portion of the tibia (inferiorly), it allows the movement of the legs (together with the hip) and absorbs most of the weight exercised by the trunk.
Like any joint, the knee is also composed of ligaments, tendons and cartilage, each of which plays an indispensable role.
When the health of one or both knees is severely impaired (due, for example, to osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis), implantation of a prosthesis may be necessary.
Modern knee prostheses are in all respects replicas, in metal (chrome-cobalt alloys, etc.) and polyethylene (a kind of plastic), of the original joints.
Some interesting US research reports that, in the United States ...
- In 2009, knee implantation was the 14th most widely performed surgical procedure in the country .
- 4.5 million people have at least one total-type knee prosthesis.
- 4.7% of the over-50s have at least one total-type knee prosthesis.
- In 2010, approximately 650, 000 prosthesis surgeries were performed. About 53.5% of these interventions involved people aged between 65 and 84; 42% people aged 45 to 64; 2.6% of people over 84; finally, 1.8% of individuals aged between 18 and 44 years.
- Also in 2010, 63% of those operated on were female (and 37% obviously male).
- 5% of the patients underwent a double operation (for both knees) during the same session.
- From 1997 to 2009, there was an increase in procedures by 84% .
IN ITALY
As far as Italy is concerned, the data in our possession are not as exhaustive.Of course we know that, starting in 2009, 55, 000 to 60, 000 prosthesis operations (both total and partial) are performed annually.
Moreover, according to some estimates, the knee is a source of serious problems (such as to require a prosthesis), for 5% of the adult population and 20% of the elderly .
As in the United States, there has been a net increase in the number of transactions: in fact, from 2001 to 2005, for example, the number of procedures went from 26, 793 to 44, 119 (source SDO, or Hospital Discharge Form).
