Kneecap resurfacing during replacement saves costs for patients and health care systems, study shows

MedicalXpress | Jun 17, 2026

The largest and longest clinical trial of its kind has found that resurfacing the kneecap during total knee replacement is likely to be the most cost-effective approach for patients and health care systems over the long term. Researchers from the University of Oxford and the University of Aberdeen followed more than 1,700 patients for 20 years as part of the KAT (Knee Arthroplasty Trial) study, making it the longest randomized controlled trial ever conducted in knee orthopedics.