description Kenneth McKee Overview
Kenneth McKee was a British orthopedic surgeon associated with the development of early total hip replacement. Working with engineer John Watson-Farrar, he developed the McKee-Farrar prosthesis, which used metal components to replace both sides of the hip joint and became an important early metal-on-metal design. His work is relevant to orthopedic surgeons and historians tracing the evolution of total hip arthroplasty.
insights Ranking position
Kenneth McKee ranks #229 of 342 in the Surgeon ranking, behind James Rutka, ahead of James Tait Goodrich.
help Kenneth McKee FAQ
What was distinctive about Kenneth McKee's hip replacement design?
The McKee-Farrar prosthesis replaced both articulating surfaces of the hip with metal components. This made it an early metal-on-metal total hip replacement rather than a procedure replacing only the femoral head.
Who developed the McKee-Farrar prosthesis with Kenneth McKee?
McKee worked with fellow surgeon John Watson-Farrar on the design. Their names became attached to a prosthesis used during the formative period of modern total hip arthroplasty.
How did McKee-Farrar differ from John Charnley's hip replacement?
McKee-Farrar used a large metal head articulating against a metal cup. Charnley's influential low-friction arthroplasty instead paired a smaller metal femoral head with a plastic acetabular cup.
Why did metal-on-metal hip replacements later become controversial?
Wear and corrosion can release cobalt and chromium debris into surrounding tissue and the bloodstream. Later metal-on-metal systems prompted extensive monitoring and revision surgery, although their designs were not identical to the original McKee-Farrar device.
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