Total Knee Arthroplasty

The significant increase in life expectancy in the Western world in recent years has led to a growing proportion of the population developing osteoarthritis, a condition previously referred to simply as “arthritis,” and consequently to the need for joint replacement surgery, also known as arthroplasty. This procedure was first performed in Greece in 1967 by A. Zaousis, and the first operation using polyethylene—essentially in its modern form—was carried out by E. Dretakis in 1971.

When the procedure is performed under appropriate indications and with the correct selection of the method and surgical technique, it results in the successful restoration of movement and activity, as well as the elimination of joint pain. These operations have evolved significantly in recent years from a technical standpoint and are now applied to most joints of the body.

Today, we know that reduced mobility in an individual leads to multiple serious medical problems, and this obliges us to emphasize that the fastest possible return to movement is imperative. Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr. Konstantinos Dretakis has been pursuing continuing medical education in Rosemont, Illinois, USA—the training center of the AAOS—for hip and knee joint procedures from 2006 to the present, and he can explain whether you belong to the group of patients who require hip or knee arthroplasty surgery.

The choice of method is extremely important and is made according to internationally accepted criteria. The modern techniques used by the surgical team include Cemented, Cementless, MIS – Minimally Invasive Surgery, Navigation, and, of course, the revolutionary robotic technique, Robotic Makoplasty.