This book traces the 30 year development by surgeons and engineers in Oxford of a unique method of unicompartmental knee replacement with the 'Oxford Knee' prosthesis. The challenge to the surgeon is to replace the damaged surfaces of the arthritic joint so effectively that the soft tissues of the whole joint and the surfaces of the other compartments can resume all their physiological functions, a more difficult task than total knee replacements confront. As a user's guide, the book allows the surgeon to gain a good understanding of the biomechanics of the normal knee, of the pathological anatomy of unicompartmental arthritis, and the rationale of the design of instruments and implants. The outcome of the operation depends greatly on choice of the right patient and exact implantation of the prosthesis, subjects that are dealt with exhaustively. The reader can use this book as an adjunct to the implant specific instructional courses available.

The book also provides long-term data on wear and revision rates for the Oxford Knee and covers common questions asked and the problems confronted by users. The book is accompanied by a DVD with animations of mathematical models of the intact and replaced knee, as well as full video footage of a knee replacement operation.