[philminotti]

There are two general types of partial replacement, fixed bearing and mobile bearing. The Oxford is a mobile bearing design (the only one) while the Repicci is one of many fixed bearing designs. I do both, situation dependent.

Remember, there is no perfect knee (or hip) replacement. They ALL have tradeoffs. Some designs may be more suitable for certain people. However, they are all mechanical devices and have no ability to repair themselves. 100% of mechanical devices, be it a 600hp big block or a disk drive or a blender, absolutely will fail at some point. That is not theory, that is fact. So the question becomes "What's going to fail first, you or your artificial joint?"

Obviously, the older you are when you first need a joint replacement, the higher the likelihood that it'll outlast you.

Lastly, always be aware of the fact that most of what you read in the lay press regarding joint replacement is driven by marketing, not by peer reviewed scientific research. Ideally, a good surgeon can help you wade through all the BS and come to an informed decision.

phil