I’m going to have a second knee surgery on my right leg. The first operation was a total knee replacement. This one is to take out the tibial insert and replace it. This part of the joint has gotten worn clear through. Am I doing something wrong that has caused this problem?

Wear and tear on the plastic tibial Uneven wear patterns are not something a patient can avoid. Sometimes imbalance in the joint or soft tissue alignment cause the uneven wear pattern.

The asymmetrical pattern can affect different parts of the implant at the same time. This could include the front, back, and/or sides of the joint surface.

There may be scratches or wear patterns all the way through the implant. It sounds like this is what has happened to yours. Once your surgeon removes the insert, an examination of the wear pattern may help show what is the problem.

Location, type, and depth of wear pattern will be observed. This kind of information is helpful for surgeons and scientitsts who are trying to improve TKR implant design and results.