Knee replacement surgery


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Knee replacement surgery


Normal knee joint

Picture of a normal knee joint

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Inside a normal knee joint, thick cushioning (cartilage) covers and protects the ends of your bones. This is called hyaline cartilage. Another type of cartilage, called meniscal cartilage or meniscus, acts like a shock absorber between the bones and keeps the knee joint stable by spreading out the load evenly across the joint. The two menisci (plural of meniscus) protect and cushion the surface of the joint and the ends of your bones.

Credits


Primary Medical Reviewer E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer Stanford M. Shoor, MD - Rheumatology
Last Updated April 20, 2007

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