The first replacement of a knee joint is believed to have occurred during the 1860s when German surgeon Themistocles Gluck (who might have moonlighted as a carp
One of the biggest innovations came in the late 1990s and early 2000s just in time for the marathon-running, tennis-playing boomers to start showing signs of wear and tear.
Need a New Knee or Hip? A Robot May Help Install It
As more people strive to stay active on aging frames, robots and other technologies are likely to play a wider role in helping surgeons replace joints.
Credit.James Yang
This article is part of our new series,
, which examines how rapid advances in technology are transforming our lives.
In the first joint replacement surgery in 1890, the German surgeon Themistocles Gluck implanted “carved and machined pieces of ivory” into joints diseased by tuberculosis starting with a knee replacement for a 17-year-old girl, according to the medical historian and author Dr. David Schneider.