Joint Replacement Moving Towards Advanced Techniques

  Orthopedic surgeons regularly replace knees, hips and shoulders severely damaged by arthritis, injury or wear-and-tear with prostheses, man-made joints.  orthopedic surgeons perform about six knee replacement surgeries for every hip or shoulder replacement.

The prostheses are composed of metal and plastic pieces designed to replicate the function of bone and cartilage. Through the years, stainless steel has been replaced by cobalt chrome that can be polished to an even finer finish.

With improved materials, surgical instruments and surgical procedures including computer-assisted technologies to improve alignment of the prostheses, today's joint replacements typically last 15 to 20 years. Previously the average was 10 to 15 years.

Improved durability is a significant accomplishment because generally revision surgeries are technically more complicated and patient recovery is more difficult. While whole joint replacement is common, it is not for everyone. It is indicated when the pain from the injured joint interferes with a patient's daily activities and quality of life.

Before resorting to surgery, physicians will explore nonsurgical solutions such as physical therapy and steroid treatment to see if relief can be provided. The age and overall health of the patient also will be taken into consideration. In some cases involving knees, a partial replacement is the optimal solution.

If whole replacement is necessary, patients who don't experience any complications can expect a three- to five-day hospital stay and then a four-month recovery period to "get back up to speed." This period generally includes four weeks to six weeks of physical therapy. Patients, especially those with knee replacements, can continue to see improvements for up to a year.

Patients scheduled for surgery can help ensure a positive outcome by being as active as possible; in the case of knee replacements, exercises that strengthen the quadriceps are very beneficial. It also is important to maintain or, if possible, improve the range of motion in the affected joint. After surgery, it can be difficult to regain more motion than the patient possessed before the surgery.

Morbidly obese patients, those who are 20 percent or more over their ideal body weight, should consider losing weight before the surgery to remove additional stress on their joints and decrease their risks of potential complications.

Before patients undergo any type of elective surgery, they should engage in a complete risk-benefit analysis with their physician. It's important to thoroughly consider long-term health.

As patients are deciding whether joint replacement therapy is right for them, they can be confident in the quality of care  Our community is home to well-qualified orthopedic surgeons, top-notch hospital care and plentiful rehabilitation options.

 

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