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.
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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