Knee Replacement Questions?

Discover new, game-changing technologies that can help you start living your full life again—a more normal feeling knee,1 a smoother recovery2,3 and implants built to last

Discover more.
Fear less.

Knee Replacement Questions?

Discover new, game-changing technologies that can help you start living your full life again—a more normal feeling knee,1 a smoother recovery2,3 and implants built to last.

Discover more.
Fear less.

Knee Replacement Questions?

Discover new, game-changing technologies that can help you start living your full life again—a more normal feeling knee,1 a smoother recovery2,3 and implants built to last.

Discover more.
Fear less.

The ultimate knee
replacement experience

See how knee replacement has changed – and what it can do for you.

The ultimate knee
replacement experience

See how knee replacement has changed – and what it can do for you.

A unique plan.

With 3D digital modeling, you get a surgical plan that’s customized to your unique anatomy. That means your surgeon can perform your procedure more efficiently and accurately than traditional knee replacement surgery.1

A natural fit.

With a robotics-assisted procedure using Smith+Nephew implants, you can keep more of your natural bone and ligaments, including the ACL. That means your body can maintain more of its natural rhythm and step.2

A wide selection.

With Smith+Nephew knee implants, your surgeon is choosing from the widest selection available. That means your implant can be precision-matched to feel more like your own knee.

Schedule a consultation
Schedule a consultation

The ultimate knee replacement experience

See how knee replacement has changed—and what it can do for you.

Higher patient satisfaction—Smoother recovery4,5,6

The JOURNEY◊ II Knee System has been demonstrated to improve a patient's range of motion more quickly after surgery. This faster recovery, along with the implant's normal pattern of motion, have been shown to lead to high levels of patient satisfaction.
Learn More

An implant built to last

With Smith+Nephew knee implants, your surgeon has access to OXINIUM◊ Oxidized Zirconium. This unique metal alloy is designed to reduce the effects of implant wear and tear. In fact, OXINIUM knee implants have been lab-tested for durability 9-times longer than the international standard for joint replacements7.
Learn More

Decades of experience

Since the 1960s, we have been dedicated to making the most innovative knee implants in the world. Building on our heritage of pioneering knee designs and clinically proven knee systems, today's knee implants from Smith+Nephew are designed to meet the demands of today's active patients and get them back to living lives unlimited by knee pain.

Find a physician
Find a physician

The ultimate knee replacement experience

See how knee replacement has changed—and what it can do for you.

Higher patient satisfaction—Smoother recovery4,5,6

The JOURNEY◊ II Knee System has been demonstrated to improve a patient's range of motion more quickly after surgery. This faster recovery, along with the implant's normal pattern of motion, have been shown to lead to high levels of patient satisfaction.
Learn More

An implant built to last

With Smith+Nephew knee implants, your surgeon has access to OXINIUM◊ Oxidized Zirconium. This unique metal alloy is designed to reduce the effects of implant wear and tear. In fact, OXINIUM knee implants have been lab-tested for durability 9-times longer than the international standard for joint replacements7.
Learn More

Decades of experience

Since the 1960s, we have been dedicated to making the most innovative knee implants in the world. Building on our heritage of pioneering knee designs and clinically proven knee systems, today's knee implants from Smith+Nephew are designed to meet the demands of today's active patients and get them back to living lives unlimited by knee pain.

Find a physician
Find a physician

Find a physician

For a list of providers in your area who have received training on Smith+Nephew’s technologies and have requested to be included in our locator, please enter your address in the search box and click the “Search” button.

Please enter your Address:


Uncover more answers

Hear from others about how getting knee surgery has restored their ability to participate in their lives.

Lee’s story

Rodeo is in his blood, and 90 days after surgery he was back in the saddle.

Lucio’s story

Farming and hard work are his life; now he can get back to both.

Karla’s story

This active exerciser can walk and workout again without pain.


Uncover more answers

Hear from others about how getting knee surgery has restored their ability to participate in their lives.

Lee’s story

Rodeo is in his blood, and 90 days after surgery he was back in the saddle.

Lucio’s story

Farming and hard work are his life; now he can get back to both.

Karla’s story

This active exerciser can walk and workout again without pain.


Uncover more answers

Hear from others about how getting knee surgery has restored their ability to participate in their lives.

Lee’s story

Rodeo is in his blood, and 90 days after surgery he was back in the saddle.

Lucio’s story

Farming and hard work are his life; now he can get back to both.

Karla’s story

This active exerciser can walk and workout again without pain.

How bad is your knee pain?

Answer these common, multiple choice questions to help your doctor better understand your knee pain.

Section 1 of 3

1. Which knee is causing you problems?
2. How would you describe your knee pain?
  

Section 2 of 3

  

Section 3 of 3


Most important:
Next most important:
Third most important:
Fourth most important:
  

You're almost done!

Print out your results

You can print your assessment answers by clicking the "Print Results" button below. A separate window will open to display your answers. Print these out and click the Find a physician button to find a physician near you. If you do not see your results, please ensure you do not have pop-up blockers enabled for this site.

   

VERILAST◊ Technology

Unlike other implants that are only available with cobalt chrome for their metal femoral components, the JOURNEY◊ II Active Knee implant can also be made with a proprietary metal alloy called OXINIUM◊ Oxidized Zirconium. While cobalt chrome has been used successfully for years, laboratory tests have shown that the "ceramicized" OXINIUM metal alloy is twice as hard as cobalt chrome and can be twice as resistant to the type of scratching that can cause implant wear. First introduced in 1997, OXINIUM implants have been used in more than 1 million surgeries around the world.

And since each implant is a combination of metal and plastic, JOURNEY II implants also use a harder, highly cross-linked polyethylene known as XLPE for the plastic insert.

Working together, these materials form a bearing surface combination known as VERILAST Technology, which is unique to global medical device maker, Smith+Nephew.

What Is JOURNEY◊ II Technology?

The JOURNEY II AKS Difference

One of the most remarkable breakthroughs in design of total knee replacements has been the creation of the JOURNEY II Active Knee Solutions. Designed using the latest in human simulation software, and built using some of the most wear-resistant materials available, this unique implant was designed to address two of the most common concerns associated with knee replacement implants: implant wear and implant feel.

Commonly described as a hinge joint, your knees actually do much more than simply swing back and forth. In fact, every time your knee bends, forces in and around the joint work together to produce a subtle and complex rotational movement that you don't even realize is there. However, if this rotational movement is removed, the change can be felt in the muscles and ligaments through the entire leg.

Yes – you can.

It’s time to stop settling and start getting on with your life. You can take the stairs.*8 You can go for walks. You can stop being afraid. You can – with the ultimate knee replacement experience.

Find a physician

Yes – you can.

It’s time to stop settling and start getting on with your life. You can take the stairs.*8 You can go for walks. You can stop being afraid. You can – with the ultimate knee replacement experience.

Find a physician

The information listed on this site is for informational and educational purposes and is not meant as medical advice. Every patient’s case is unique and each patient should follow his or her doctor’s specific instructions. Please discuss nutrition, medication and treatment options with your doctor to make sure you are getting the proper care for your particular situation. ◊ Trademark of Smith+Nephew. The information on this site is intended for US residents only © 2020 Smith+Nephew

References

*Journey II BCS.

  1. Hall, et al. Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (alias uni-knee): an overview with nursing implications. Orthopaedic Nursing. 2004;23(3):163-171. Accessed April 25, 2019.
    • Based on pre-surgical pain levels in UKA patients.
  2. Mayman DJ, Patel AR, Carroll KM. Hospital related clinical and economic outcomes of a bicruciate knee system in total knee arthroplasty patients. Poster presented at: ISPOR Symposium; May 19-23, 2018; Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
  3. Nodzo SR, Carroll KM, Mayman DJ. The Bicruciate Substituting Knee Design and Initial Experience. Techniques in Orthopaedics. 2018;33(1):37-41
    • Compared to non-JOURNEY II knees; Based on BCS evidence
  4. Short-term Range of Motion is Increased after TKA with an asymmetric bicruciatestabilized implant.AcceptedPoster Presentation, AAOS 2018 New Orleans. Kaitlin M. Carroll, Peter K. Sculco, Brian CMichaels,RichardL. Murphy, Seth A, Jerabek, David J. Mayman
  5. J Orthop. 2017 Jan 7;14(1):201- 206. doi: 10.1016/j.jor.2016.12.005. eCollection 2017. Bi-cruciate substituting total knee arthroplasty improved medio-lateral instability in mid-flexion range
  6.  In Vivo Kinematic Comparison of a Bicruciate Stabilized Total Knee Arthroplasty and the Normal Knee Using Fluoroscopy Trevor F. Grieco, MS a, *, Adrija Sharma, PhD a, Garett M. Dessinger, BS a, Harold E. Cates, MD b, Richard D. Komistek, PhD. The Journal of Arthroplasty, September 2017
  7. Testing concluded at 45 million cycles, ISO 14242-1 and 14243-3 define test completion at 5 million cycles. The results of laboratory wear simulation testing have not been proven to predict actual joint durability and performance in people. A reduction in wear alone may not result in improved joint durability and performance because other factors, such as bone structure, can affect joint durability and performance and cause medical conditions that may result in the need for additional surgery. These other factors were not studied as part of the testing.
  8. Iriuchishima T, Ryu K. Bicruciate substituting total knee arthroplasty improves stair climbing ability when compared with cruciate-retain or posterior stabilizing total knee arthroplasty. Indian J Orthop. 2019. doi:10.4103/ortho.IJOrtho_392_18.

Additional claim statements and support regarding Smith+Nephew implants and Robotics-assisted surgery

  • Implants that are built to last
    • Learn More
      • Zardiackas, Lyle D., Kraay, Matthew J., Freese, Howard L, editors. Titanium, Niobium, Zirconium, and Tantalum for Medical and Surgical Applications ASTM special technical publication; 1471. Ann Arbor, MI: ASTM, Dec. 2005
  • LEGION◊CR Knee with VERILAST◊ technology was lab-tested for 45 million cycles (estimating 30 years of wear performance) and showed 81% less wear than similar 5-million cycle cobalt chrome implant.
    • Learn More
      • ISO 14243-3
      • VERILAST knee wear testing and results apply only to the VERILAST LEGION CR Primary Knee System only. Extended lab-testing for other VERILAST knee systems have not been performed. The results of laboratory wear simulation testing have not been proven to predict actual joint durability and performance in people. A reduction in wear alone may not result in improved joint durability and performance because other factors, such as bone structure, can affect joint durability and performance and cause medical conditions that may result in the need for additional surgery. These other factors were not studied as part of the testing.
  • Smith+Nephew implants may offer a more normal feeling knee
    • Based on JOURNEY◊ II BCS knee implant
    • Learn More
      • Verstaete MA, Van Onsem S, Zambianchi F, et al. Multi-centre evaluation of knee kinematics during different activities for anatomic total knee design. Poster presented at: 2nd World Arthroplasty Congress; 19-21 April, 2018; Rome, Italy.
      • Sharma A, Dessinger G, Cates H, Komistesk R. In vivo kinematic comparison for subjects having a bi-cruciate substituting TKA vs the normal knee. Poster presented at: 2nd World Arthroplasty Congress; 19-21 April, 2018; Rome, Italy.
      • Kosse NM, Heesterbeek PJC, Defoort KC, Wymenga AB, van Hellemondt GG. Improved maximal flexion after minor adaptations in implant design bicruciate-substituted total knee arthroplasty. Poster presented at 19th Congress of the European Federation of National Associations of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (EFORT); May 30 – June 1 2018; Barcelona, Spain.
  • 89% of patients were able to take the stairs again after surgery.
    • Based on JOURNEY◊ II BCS knee implant patients
      • Iriuchishima T and Ryu K. Bicruciate substituting total knee arthroplasty improves stair climbing ability when compared with cruciate-retain or posterior stabilizing total knee arthroplasty. Indian J Orthop. 2019. DOI:10.4103/ortho.IJOrtho_392_18
  • A robotics-assisted knee replacement with Smith+Nephew implants may get you back in the game six months sooner than traditional knee replacement surgery
    • Based on UKA patients
      • Canetti R, Batailler C, Bankhead C, Neyret P, Servien E, Lustig S. Faster return to sport after robotic-assisted lateral unicompartmental knee arthroplasty: a comparative study. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2018;138(12):1765-1771
  • Over 90% of patients who had a Smith+Nephew knee replacement surgery returned to work within 6 months.
      • Harris AI, Luo TD, Lang JE, Kopjar B. Short-term safety and effectiveness of a second-generation motion-guided total knee system. Arthroplast Today. 2018;4:240-243. 1
        • n= 28 (n=11 robotic procedures), p<0.01.
  • Robotics-assisted surgery with Smith+Nephew implants may lead to a faster rehabilitation and shorter recovery time than traditional knee surgery when following your doctor’s recovery plan and physical therapy recommendations.
    • Claim 19 & 20 (PCS REC.015)
  • Due to its improved accuracy, Smith+Nephew robotics-assisted UKA has lower revision rates* compared to conventional techniques
    • Shown in clinical studies with follow-up of up to 5.5 years
      • Batailler C, White N, Ranaldi FM, Neyret P, Servien E, Lustig S. Improved implant position and lower revision rate with robotic-assisted unicompartmental knee arthroplasty. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2019;27(4):1232-1240.
      • Battenberg AK, Netravali NA, Lonner JH. A novel handheld robotic-assisted system for unicompartmental knee arthroplasty: surgical technique and early survivorship. J Robot Surg. 2019;14(1):55-60.
      • Gregori A. 5 Yr Experience Semi Active Robotic Partial Knee Replacement: The Financial Impact. Poster presented at: SICOT;October, 2018; Montreal, Canada.
  • A study has shown Smith+Nephew robotic technology has demonstrated faster return to sport (4.2 vs 10.5 months) when compared to conventional techniques*
    • *n= 28 (n=11 robotic procedures), p<0.01
      • Canetti R, Batailler C, Bankhead C, Neyret P, Servien E, Lustig S. Faster return to sport after robotic-assisted lateral unicompartmental knee arthroplasty: a comparative study. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg. 2018;138(12):1765-1771
  • Robotics-assisted surgery with Smith+Nephew implants may help patient get discharged sooner
    • Study of UKA patients
      • Sephton BM, et al. EKS Arthroplasty Conference. May 2-3, 2019; Valencia, Spain.
      • Shearman AD, et al. EKS Arthroplasty Conference. May 2-3, 2019; Valencia, Spain.
  • Robotics-assisted surgery with Smith+Nephew implants may provide patients with a smoother recovery
    • Compared to non-JOURNEY II knees; Based on BCS evidence
      • Mayman DJ, Patel AR, Carroll KM. Hospital Related Clinical and Economic Outcomes of a Bicruciate Knee System in Total Knee Arthroplasty Patients. Poster presented at: ISPOR Symposium; May 19-23, 2018; Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
  • Robotics-assisted surgery with Smith+Nephew implants may help patients regain function faster
      • Shearman AD, et al. EKS Arthroplasty Conference. May 2-3, 2019; Valencia, Spain.

Additional statements and support regarding Knee Replacement

  • More than 90% of people who have knee replacement surgery experience dramatic relief in knee pain and are better able to perform common activities.
    • Based on pre-surgical pain levels
      • American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeon website, http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm
  • The majority of patients experience profound improvements in their physical activity after having knee replacement surgery.
    • Based on pre-surgical activity levels
      • Brandes M, et. al., “Changes in physical activity and health-related quality of life during the first year after total knee arthroplasty.” Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1991 Dec;(273):151-6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20981812 Accessed Wednesday, April 17, 2019