Mobile bearing vs fixed bearing prostheses
Jacobs WCH, Anderson PG, Limbeek J, Wymenga AAB?? 2008
Which type of knee implant is better in Total Knee Replacement surgery for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis of the knee: mobile or fixed bearing?
To answer this question, scientists analysed 2 studies that tested over 150 people with osteoarthritis of the knee (6 had rheumatoid arthritis). These people had total knee replacement surgery with either a mobile or fixed bearing knee implant and were studied 1 or 7 years after the surgery. These studies provide the best evidence we have today…
…The two studies show that the range of motion/movement of the knee was about the same in people who had a fixed or mobile bearing knee implant. The year long study shows that slightly more people with a mobile bearing knee implant had less pain and better function than with a fixed bearing knee implant. But the seven year long study showed no differences in pain or function between the mobile or fixed bearing knee implants.