Knee Arthritis and Fixed Knee Replacement
Arthritis is the name of any of more than 300 inflammatory joint disorders. There are many different types of arthritis, several of which can affect the knee. The most common form is osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease. In this condition, the slippery cartilage that covers the ends of bones in joints wears down. Cartilage protects the joints and acts as a shock absorber. It provides a smooth, gliding surface for joint motion. Without cartilage to protect the joints, the ends of the bone rub together, causing pain. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can also affect the knees. RA is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes pain, stiffness, and swelling in the joints, usually in a symmetrical pattern (if one knee has it, the other one will also). In RA, the joint lining (synovium), normally smooth and shiny, becomes inflamed, painful and swollen. The disease, which lasts over a long period of time, can cause damage to cartilage.
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Date Last Reviewed:
9/24/2008
Date Last Modified:
9/24/2008