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Knee Pain > Joint Replacement Technology - Finding The Right Joint Implant Goes Beyond Gender

Joint Replacement Technology As Individual As You Are

You may have recently heard some orthopedic companies touting joint replacement modified specifically for females. However, surgeons consider a long list of individual factors in addition to gender, such as age, height, weight, activity level, medical condition and much more, before determining the best type of implant for you.

And whether you're a man or a woman, you want clinically proven technology for your specific needs. Biomet offers the broadest range of implant choices and sizes available today, so your surgeon has numerous options when choosing what he or she believes is the best choice for you.

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A Look At Biomet Knee Options

For over 25 years, Biomet has applied the most advanced technology to the development of joint replacements. Our implants are designed to address a wide range of patient anatomies and conditions. The following are three distinctly different types of knee replacement options your surgeon may prescribe for you based on your specific needs.

Vanguard™ Total Knee Replacement

The Vanguard™ knee is the most flexible total knee replacement on the market, engineered to fit individuals regardless of gender or stature. A distinct advantage of the Vanguard™ knee is the many options it gives your surgeon to address your specific needs. And because the sizes of different components are completely interchangeable, the Vanguard™ knee provides surgeons flexibility to fit the femoral (thighbone) and tibial (shinbone) components independently, creating a custom fit.

Vanguard™ PFR Patellofemoral Knee Replacement

The Vanguard™ PFR knee is designed for patients with specific needs-severe pain in the front or middle of the knee from cartilage degeneration of the patellofemoral compartment. The advantages of this knee replacement are that the surrounding cartilage is not removed and that the surrounding bone and ligament structures are not surgically altered, which provides for more normal knee function.

Oxford® Partial Knee Replacement

Biomet's Oxford® knee is designed for those who only require a partial knee replacement. The Oxford® knee is the only FDA-approved free-floating meniscal partial knee available in the United States. The free-floating nature of the device can also greatly improve the durability of the implant. Clinical studies show most patients experience a rapid recovery and more natural joint function.^1.2

These are just three options your surgeon may prescribe for your individual needs. To learn more about Biomet, and to read stories about individuals who have had knee replacement, visit knee replacement success stories and see Elizabeth's story how she overcame grinding knee pain.

Your questions answered

Do women's knees work the same as men's knees?

All knees work basically the same way-however there are differences between individuals that go beyond gender. The truth is that there are no clinical studies that show knee replacements succeed or fail based on gender. One of the keys to success is for your surgeon to match your individual anatomy, condition and activity level with the optimal implant.

Why do other companies offer a women's knee replacement?

One study in 2003 demonstrated that there are differences in how individual knee implants fit the population.³ Based on this study, a manufacturer may have felt the need to redesign its knee implant to better fit the female anatomy. One such knee replacement is now being marketed and advertised as a female-specific solution.

Biomet, on the other hand, already addressed the need to fit varied patient anatomies for both men and women with the Vanguard™ Complete Knee System. With the system's multiple sizes and total component interchangeability, the Vanguard™ knee allows your surgeon to custom fit the femoral and tibial components independently. The result is a complete knee replacement system that optimizes fit of the implant to your individual anatomy, not the other way around.

Are all women's knees the same?

Of course not. Knee replacements aren't all the same either. Imagine two women who are the same age. One has pain in the front of her knee while the other has pain throughout her knee. One has osteoarthritis through all the compartments of her knee, while the other's limited to just one part of her knee. These women would likely not need the same knee replacement. So again, the answer lies with your doctor. He or she will work with you to determine what you need. It may be total knee replacement, or you may be a candidate for a partial knee replacement. The bottom line is-all women don't require the same knee replacement and only your doctor can make the best recommendation for your individual condition.

Download the "Joint Replacement Technology As Individual As You Are" brochure.

^1. Price AJ, Webb J, Topf H, Dodd C, Goodfellow JW, Murray DW.: "Oxford® unicompartmental knee replacement with a minimally invasive technique." J Arthroplasty, pg. 970-976, December 2001
^2. Price AJ, Short A, Kellett C, et al.: "Sagittal plane kinematics of the Oxford® Medial Unicompartmental Arthroplasty - an in-vivo study." J Bone Joint Surg (Br) Abstract in press.
^3. Hitt K, et al.: "Anthropometric Measurements of the Human Knee Correlation to the Sizing of Current Knee Arthroplasty Systems." JBJS (Am), 85-A Suppl 4: 115-22, 2003.

Vanguard™ and Oxford® are trademarks of Biomet Manufacturing Corp.

Individual results may vary. There are potential risks to joint replacement surgery. Visit www.biomet.com and read "Patient Risk Information." The life of any joint replacement will depend on your physical condition, activity levels, willingness to follow surgeon's instructions, and other factors. Only an orthopedic surgeon can determine whether you are a candidate for joint replacement surgery.