Knee arthroplasty prosthesis

1. A prosthesis for use in knee arthroplasty including a tibial component and a femoral component, the femoral component having at least one condyle, the tibial component comprising:

(a) a tibial base having:

(i) an inferior surface for engagement with a prepared surface at the proximal end of a tibia,

(ii) a superior surface opposite said inferior surface,

(iii) a passageway extending through said tibial base, said passageway having an open proximal end adjacent said superior surface and an open distal end adjacent said inferior surface, said passageway having a wall surface portion defining a Morse taper portion, said Morse taper portion tapering inwardly from said superior surface toward said inferior surface, and

(iv) an enlarged threaded aperture adjacent said superior surface and defining a shoulder extending outwardly from said Morse taper portion;

(b) a tibial stem received within said passageway of said tibial base with at least a portion of said tibial stem extending distally from said open distal end of said passageway of said tibial base such that said tibial stem extends distally from said inferior surface of said tibial base, said tibial stem having:

(i) a portion defining a Morse taper sized to engage said Morse taper portion of said passageway of said tibial base, and

(ii) a threaded flange portion proximal of said portion of said tibial stem defining said Morse taper, said threaded flange portion threadably engageable with said enlarged threaded aperture of said tibial base, such that when said threaded flange portion is threadably engaged with said threaded aperture and said portion of said tibial stem defining said Morse taper is snugly engaged to said Morse taper portion of said tibial base, a gap remains between a distal side of said flange portion and a proximal surface of said shoulder, whereby threaded engagement of said threaded flange portion with said threaded aperture ensures firm engagement between said Morse taper portion of said tibial base and said Morse taper of said tibial stem; and

(c) an insert positioned on said superior surface of said tibial base, said insert contoured to be engaged by the condyle of the femoral component.

2. The tibial component of claim 1 wherein a threaded aperture is provided in a proximal end portion of said tibial stem and further including a screw extending through said passageway in said tibial base and threadingly engaged to said threaded aperture of said tibial stem.

3. The tibial component of claim 1 wherein said threaded aperture comprises inwardly facing threads positioned proximally of said shoulder.

4. The tibial component of claim 3 wherein said said threaded flange portion comprises outwardly facing threads engageable with said inwardly facing threads of said tibial base.

5. A knee prosthesis including a tibial component and a femoral component, the femoral component having at least one condyle, the tibial component comprising:

(a) a tibial base having:

(i) an inferior surface for engaging prepared bone at the proximal end of the tibia,

(ii) a superior surface opposite said inferior surface, an extension extending distally from said inferior surface to a distal end,

(iii) a passageway extending through said tibial base, including through said extension, said passageway defining a Morse taper, said Morse taper of said passageway tapering inwardly from said superior surface toward said inferior surface,

(iv) an enlarged threaded aperture adjacent said superior surface and defining a shoulder extending outwardly from a proximal end of said Morse taper;

(b) a tibial stem extending from a proximal end to a distal end, said proximal end defining;

(i) a Morse taper engageable with said Morse taper of said passageway, wherein said distal end of said tibial stem extends distally from said distal end of said extension, and

(ii) a threaded flange proximal of said Morse taper of said tibial stem, said threaded flange threadably engageable with said enlarged threaded aperture of said tibial base, such that when said threaded flange is threadably engaged with said threaded aperture and said Morse taper of said tibial stem is snugly engaged to said Morse taper portion of said tibial base, a gap remains between a distal side of said flange portion and a proximal surface of said shoulder, whereby threaded engagement of said threaded flange with said threaded aperture ensures firm engagement between said Morse taper of said tibial base and said Morse taper of said tibial stem; and

(c) an insert positioned on said superior surface of said tibial base, said insert contoured to be engaged by the condyle of the femoral component.

6. The tibial component according to claim 5 wherein said tibial stem has a recess extending from said proximal end toward said distal end, said recess having threads or other retention means formed therein and further including an engagement member extending through said tibial base passageway and engaged to said threads or other retention means of said tibial stem.

7. The tibial component of claim 5 wherein a threaded aperture is provided in said proximal end of said tibial stem and further including a screw extending through said passageway of said tibial base threadingly engaged to threads formed in said threaded aperture of said tibial stem.

8. The tibial component of claim 5 wherein said threaded aperture comprises inwardly facing threads positioned proximally of said shoulder.

9. The tibial component of claim 8 wherein said said threaded flange portion comprises outwardly facing threads engaged to said inwardly facing threads of said tibial base.