The TKA medical abbreviation stands for total knee arthroplasty, the surgery most people know as a total knee replacement. Arthroplasty comes from Greek roots meaning the shaping or forming of a joint, and in a TKA the worn surfaces of the knee are replaced with metal and plastic parts.
The abbreviation shows up in orthopedic notes, hospital orders, physical therapy plans and discharge papers. A side is usually added in front, as in R TKA or L TKA. TKR, for total knee replacement, means the same thing and appears in many charts too. Read on for how the term is used, how it compares with a partial knee, and what follows it in recovery notes.
At a glance
Stands for
Total knee arthroplastySame as
TKR, total knee replacementWord roots
Arthro (joint) and plasty (surgical shaping or repair)Written as
TKA, R TKA, L TKA, bilateral TKA, s/p TKASpecialty
Orthopedic surgery and physical therapyDo not confuse with
THA (total hip arthroplasty) and UKA (partial knee)
What happens in a total knee arthroplasty
The knee is a hinge where the end of the thigh bone meets the top of the shin bone, with the kneecap in front. In a TKA, the surgeon removes damaged cartilage and a thin layer of bone from these surfaces, then fits metal caps to the thigh bone and shin bone with a plastic spacer between them. The back of the kneecap may also get a plastic button.
The most common reason is severe osteoarthritis that causes pain and stiffness despite other treatments. Rheumatoid arthritis and old injuries that damaged the joint are other reasons. The aim is less pain and better function in daily activities.
R TKA, L TKA and other ways the TKA medical abbreviation is written
The side and timing usually sit right next to the letters.
| Phrase | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| R TKA or right TKA | Replacement of the right knee |
| L TKA or left TKA | Replacement of the left knee |
| Bilateral TKA | Both knees, at the same time or in stages |
| Revision TKA | A repeat surgery to fix or replace an earlier knee implant |
| POD 2 s/p R TKA | Second day after the right knee replacement |
Therapy handoff: "POD 1 s/p L TKA, WBAT, ambulated 50 ft with walker." This means one day after a left knee replacement, the person can bear weight on the leg to whatever level they tolerate and walked about fifty feet with a walker.
TKA versus TKR, UKA and THA
Joint replacement shorthand follows a pattern: the first letter tells you total or partial, the middle tells you the joint, and the last letter tells you arthroplasty or replacement.
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| TKA | Total knee arthroplasty |
| TKR | Total knee replacement, the same surgery |
| UKA | Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty, replacing only one part of the knee |
| THA | Total hip arthroplasty, the hip version |
One search people make is TKA with stroke. TKA is not a stroke term; the stroke shorthand that looks a little similar is TIA, transient ischemic attack. Stroke risk can come up in surgical planning, but the letters themselves always refer to the knee.
Recovery language after a knee replacement
Notes in the days after surgery talk about pain control, blood clot prevention, wound checks and range of motion, often given in degrees of bending and straightening. Physical therapy starts early, frequently the same or next day, and continues for weeks. Many people go home within a few days; some go to a rehab facility first.
Clot prevention may appear as DVT prophylaxis in the orders, and goals may be written as knee flexion to 90 degrees or more. Each surgeon and hospital sets its own plan.
Knee replacement recovery differs from one person to the next. For timelines, exercises or activity limits, follow the plan from the surgeon and therapist.
Charting tips for students
Always include the side, and the date or postoperative day when it matters. Write revision when it is not the first surgery on that knee, since that changes the care plan and the coding. TKA and TKR are interchangeable in most notes, but follow your facility's preferred term on official forms.
The surgical abbreviations section lists more orthopedic and operating room shorthand.
Frequently asked questions
Is TKA the same as a knee replacement?
Yes. TKA, total knee arthroplasty, is the formal name for a total knee replacement. TKR is another abbreviation for the same surgery.
What does the left TKA medical abbreviation mean?
L TKA means left total knee arthroplasty, a replacement of the left knee. R TKA is the right knee, and bilateral TKA means both.
What is the difference between TKA and UKA?
A TKA replaces all the main surfaces of the knee. A UKA, or partial knee replacement, replaces only one worn compartment and leaves the rest of the joint alone.
Is the TKA medical abbreviation related to stroke?
No. TKA always refers to total knee arthroplasty. If you saw a stroke term, it may have been TIA or CVA, which are separate abbreviations.
How long do knee replacements last?
Many modern implants last well over a decade, and often much longer. Weight, activity level and other health factors affect this, so the surgeon can give a more personal estimate.