The 20% Problem: Why We Are Rethinking Knee Replacement Design

The shift from traditional symmetric hinges to natural, fixed-bearing pivoting designs.

Total knee arthroplasty is widely considered a maturing, successful technology, but there is a lingering problem: patient dissatisfaction remains around 20%. For decades, the story of knee replacement relied on traditional designs with symmetric, less-conforming articular surfaces.

But the landscape is shifting beneath our feet. We are moving toward fixed-bearing designs with asymmetric pivoting articulations that provide more natural joint stability and kinematics.