Jennifer Matthews: Kelly Kirkbride considers it a miracle. She's back on the job as an attorney.
Kelly Kirkbride: It was the standing, the stairs, just even walking from my car to the building was impossible.
Jennifer Matthews: For years, her knees hurt so badly she could barely function. Now she and others are finding new life in a recently approved knee replacement.
Dr. Paul Lux: A knee replacement is a quarter-inch metal and plastic surface and it only replaces the cartilage, articular cartilage of the knee. That's what wears out when you get osteoarthritis.
Jennifer Matthews: Until recently, doctors doing joint replacement surgery had only a few knee sizes to choose from, like the replacement knee, you see on the left. The newly approved advanced stature knee, you see on the right offers more narrow sized options to give patients a better fit.
Dr. Paul Lux: This gave us a whole variety of sizes and people who before we had to compromise on sort of, this fits okay but it's not perfect. Now we can say that things are getting pretty close to fitting perfect.
Jennifer Matthews: The newer replacements last about 20 years and can be easily replaced. Dr. Lux says younger patients are choosing the surgery, so they can return to their active lives.
Dr. Paul Lux: With this knee replacement, if you wanted to snow-ski or water-ski or play golf or tennis, that's fine.
Jennifer Matthews: With two new knees, Kelly can go out to movies, clean her house, and even use stairs.
Kelly Kirkbride: I have not enjoyed doing things like this in so long.
Jennifer Matthews: Best of all, she greets each day without pain. This is Jennifer Matthews reporting.
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