Orthopedics Today discusses improvements to bearing types for total knee arthroplasty in an interview with Steven B. Haas, MD, chief of the knee service at HSS . 

Historically, posterior stabilized and cruciate-retaining knee bearings have been popular bearing types among orthopedic surgeons for total knee arthroplasty.

Data from the 2022 American Joint Replacement Registry Annual Report showed posterior stabilized implants were used in more than half of all primary TKA procedures until 2019 when the rate decreased to less than 50%, while cruciate-retaining designs increased annually since 2016, reaching 49.7% in 2021.

However, the report also showed the use of ultracongruent components increased 57% between 2012 and 2021. With the advent of more conforming, polyethylene bearing types, such as medial congruent, medial pivot and ultracongruent bearings, sources who spoke with Healio | Orthopedics Today suggested the kinematic and design changes in newer implants may alter TKA bearing usage patterns, as well as the future of total knee replacements.

“Implants themselves have greatly improved over the years,” said Dr. Haas. “The implants are now more anatomically shaped so they look more like the patient’s anatomy that we are replacing.”

Read the full article at healio.com.