Center of excellence for knee replacements
Mass General Brigham is a distinguished center for knee replacement surgeries in the United States. Our joint replacement surgeons perform more than 1,000 knee replacement surgeries every year, with a 99% success rate for first-time knee replacement surgeries.
Our knee surgeons collaborate with specialists like physical therapists and sports medicine practitioners to deliver comprehensive, customized care plans to every patient. We specialize in innovative approaches to knee replacement using the latest surgical techniques and new materials developed by our own engineering staff, such as custom 3D-printed knee implants, robotic surgical navigation and sophisticated imaging. On average, our knee replacement surgery patients report:
- A 10-point improvement in knee pain and function three months after surgery
- A 15-point improvement 12 months after surgery
Types of knee replacement surgeries
Total knee replacement (TKR) is performed in patients with severe wear and loss of knee cartilage due to injury, trauma, inflammation or various types of arthritis or other aging-related changes in the knee. In TKR, the worn cartilage is removed and replaced with a combination of metal and plastic implants.
In some cases, wear and tear of the knee, or arthritis, is confined to a single side of the knee. If our doctors determine this approach is appropriate for you, the damaged part of the knee will be replaced with metal and plastic while the healthy part of the knee is preserved. This is referred to as a partial knee replacement. Because a partial knee replacement is done through a smaller incision, the surgery is quicker, the hospital stay is shorter, and patients can rehabilitate and return to normal activities faster.
TKR implants have a typical life span of 10–20 years. Over time, the artificial components may wear out and need to be replaced in a revision (or redo) TKR procedure. Implants may also need replacement due to infection, pain or other factors as determined by your doctor. If you have had knee replacement and are experiencing pain or discomfort, our doctors can evaluate your case and help determine if a revision surgery is needed.
Your Mass General Brigham knee surgery team
Meet Mass General Brigham's multidisciplinary team of knee surgery experts.
- Kyle Alpaugh, MD
- Hany Bedair, MD
- Gregory William Brick, MBChB
- Antonia F. Chen, MD, MBA
- John Esposito, MD
- Daniel Estok II, MD
- Wolfgang Fitz, MD
- Richard Iorio, MD
- Fulton Kornack, MD
- Young-Min Kwon, MD, PhD
- Jeffrey Lange, MD
- Christopher Melnic, MD
- Adam Olsen, MD
- Nikolaos Paschos, MD, PhD
- John Ready, MD
- Vivek Shah, MD
- John Siliski, MD
- William Tomford, MD
Knee replacement care for international patients
Each year, thousands of patients from more than 120 countries travel to Mass General Brigham for medical care, second opinions and treatments unavailable anywhere else in the world.
Our orthopedic teams are experienced in caring for knee replacement patients who are traveling great distances to our hospitals in Boston. Our orthopedic care team and the international patient services team help you prepare for and plan the appropriate amount of time to stay in Boston before and after your treatment or surgery. During this recovery time in Boston, our clinical team will monitor your healing and medications and prepare you for the rehabilitation stage of your care. Your Mass General Brigham care team will work with you and your providers at home to ensure you receive the properly scheduled follow-up appointments and a rehab physical therapy program that is right for you.
Many of our international patients have questions about everything from travel and lodging to scheduling appointments. Our International Patient Care Team is here to help. We look forward to making your Mass General Brigham experience as healing and stress-free as possible.
