Knee joint is the largest joint in human body, with the most complex anatomy and the highest demand on motor function. The number of patients who receive the total knee arthroplasty (TKA) grows at the rate of over 10% annually around the world. TKA was developed from total hip arthroplasty, and has been developed rapidly during the thirty years' development. In this paper, evolution of prosthesis types, geometric shape and size of prosthesis and breakthrough in biomechanics of knee joint were reviewed; controversial issues in contemporary TKA studies were discussed; and the development of TKA in future was forecasted.