What are some recent innovations in knee surgery?

As of January 2015, minimally invasive total knee replacement, partial knee replacement and minimally invasive partial knee replacement are recent innovations in knee surgery, according to Dr. Seth Leopold of the University of Washington. Patients experience less post-operative pain and faster knee function restoration with minimally invasive surgery.

Improved implant materials provide longer-lasting knee replacements, notes the Cleveland Clinic in a 2014 article. New polyethylene plastics reduce bone loss, and they may last for decades. New metals with a porous structure allow the bone to grow into the implant as it heals, forming a strong bond between the implant and the bone.