The role of newer technologies in knee arthroplasty

The success of a total or unicompartmental knee replacement depends primarily on restoring the mechanical axis of the lower limb. Traditionally, this is performed using intra- or extra-medullary alignment rods to help centralize and align the components along a universally agreed and anatomically derived mechanical line from the centre of the femoral head to the middle of the ankle. This can often lead to inaccurate placement, patient dissatisfaction and early failure. However this 'one-for-all' model may not be the best approach. In the twenty-first century, with younger and more active patients, modern technology is paving the way for more individual, accurate, reproducible and anatomically tailored methods of performing knee arthroplasty. This paper aims to introduce to the modern orthopaedic surgeon some of the technological non-biological advances available in managing knee osteoarthritis.