Total Knee Replacement — Persona Knee

What is a total knee replacement?

A total knee replacement (total knee arthroplasty) replaces the damaged surfaces of the knee joint with precision-engineered implant components. Knee replacement is one of the most effective and durable interventions in modern surgery, reliably reducing pain, restoring mobility, and dramatically improving quality of life. Over 100,000 knee replacements are performed each year in the UK.

The implant — Persona Knee System (Zimmer Biomet)

• Anatomical tibial component shaped to match the natural footprint of the tibia, maximising bone coverage and reducing overhang.
• Wide range of sizing — including half sizes — for precise matching to your individual anatomy.
• Cruciate-retaining or posterior-stabilised options to suit ligament status.

How the operation is performed

Knee replacement is performed under spinal anaesthesia — a safe and effective technique in which the lower body is numbed while you remain awake or lightly sedated. I do not use a tourniquet during my knee replacements; emerging evidence supports tourniquet-free surgery in reducing post-operative pain and muscle damage and improving recovery.

High-volume local anaesthetic infiltration (LIA) — a precise mix of local anaesthetic, anti-inflammatory and adrenaline — is used extensively around the knee, providing powerful and prolonged post-operative pain relief, often lasting 12–24 hours.

• Midline incision and careful opening of the joint
• Removal of damaged cartilage and bone from the distal femur, proximal tibia and (if required) the back of the patella
• Precise bone cuts using calibrated jigs to prepare the surfaces
• Femoral component shaped and cemented into position
• Tibial baseplate with polyethylene insert cemented into the tibia
• Ligament balancing — MCL, LCL and PCL (retained in most cases) assessed and released as needed for a balanced, stable knee
• Joint closure, local anaesthetic infiltration and sterile dressing

Who is this for?

• Severe knee osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or post-traumatic arthritis
• Patients in whom non-surgical treatment has failed to provide adequate relief
• Significant pain, stiffness and functional limitation affecting daily life

My approach

• Persona Knee System with anatomical tibial component for improved fit
• No tourniquet — reduced post-operative pain and faster recovery
• Spinal anaesthesia — safer than general anaesthesia in many patients
• High-volume local anaesthetic infiltration for strong post-operative analgesia
• Careful medial, lateral and PCL ligament balancing
• Available at: Meriden Nuffield Health Hospital and University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire

Risks

• Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE)
• Fracture
• Infection
• Stiffness
• Neurovascular injury
• Further surgery
• Failure of the implant
• Bleeding

Recovery

• Mobilising on the same day as surgery with physiotherapy
• Hospital stay: 1–2 days
• Driving: approximately 6 weeks
• Return to most daily activities: 12 weeks
• Full recovery and maximum function: up to 8 months