ABSTRACT
The search for a reliable and durable prosthesis for knee arthroplasty has been evolving since 1861, when Ferguson (1) reported the first successful arthroplasty. High density polyethylene and ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene have been used as bearing surfaces since the early 1960s when they were introduced for total hip replacements by Sir John Charnley (2). In 1971, Gunston (3) introduced a prosthesis using a metal femoral condyle articulating with a polyethylene tibial plateau. Today, total knee arthroplasty yields beneficial and predictable results with well over 90% survival at 10-year follow-up (4-10).
