Total Joint Replacement for Hip and Knee Arthritis

WHAT IS TOTAL JOINT REPLACEMENT?

Total joint replacement, orarthroplasty, is a surgical procedure wherein an arthritic or damaged joint is replaced by an artificial device called a prosthesis. The two most common forms of joint replacement are those for the hip and knee.

WHAT IS A JOINT AND HOW IS IT DAMAGED?

A joint is a moving body part where two bones are connected by thick tissues and lubricated by fluid to produce motion.

The bone ends of the hip and knee joints are normally lined by smooth whitish tissue called cartilage. Cartilage becomes thinned out and eroded as a result of degeneration associated with aging, injury, and other abnormal process. Degenerative loss of cartilage with its resultant pain, joint deformity, and functional disability constitute the disease called osteoarthritis.

WHEN IS JOINT REPLACEMENT NECESSARY?

Joint replacement is recommended when advanced osteoarthritis in severe pain and decreased function, such as difficulty in walking, after non-surgical treatments (e.g. medications, physical therapy) have failed.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF SURGERY AND HOW LONG DO THEY LAST?

Total hip and knee replacement provides complete and lasting relief of pain, permanently corrects joint deformities and restores normal walking function. Joint prosthesis are designed to last for at least 10 to 15 years and, in elderly patients, their whole lifetime.

HOW IS TOTAL JOINT REPLACEMENT PERFORMED?

The damaged parts of the hip or knee joints are removed with specialized instruments and replaced by a prosthesis made up of movable metal parts and usually lined with thick plastic. The procedure is commonly done under spinal or epidural anesthesia, with or without a nerve block of the leg or thigh, to provide continuous pain relief after surgery.

WHAT IS THE RECOVERY PROCESS?

The patient usually is confined for four to five days post-operatively to undergo pain management  and early physical rehabilitation. Immediately after surgery, movement of the involved joint is encouraged and the patient is usually allowed to stand within two days. Ambulation training is soon instituted and progressed until the patient is walking with support at the time of discharge.

HOW DOES ONE PREPARE FOR TOTAL JOINT REPLACEMENT?

Before surgery, the patient undergoes thorough functional and X-ray evaluation, full medical clearance, and pre-anesthetic counseling. The need for blood transfusion, control of laboratory abnormalities, preventive measures against blood clotting (vein thrombosis) and post-surgical rehabilitation is also assessed.

HOW CAN THE MEDICAL CITY HELP YOU?

The Medical City provides complete joint replacement services through Department of Orthopedics, with its team of well-trained and experienced joint-reconstructive surgeons, cooperating with other related specialists. Surgery is offered in a controlled, packaged set-up to render it significantly more affordable to the vast population of Filipino arthritic patients.

For more information, please call:

DEPARTMENT OF ORTHOPEDICS

Tel. no.: (632) 988-1000 / (632) 988-7000 ext. 6517

References:

* American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons

* The TMC Department of Orthopedics

Note:   This information is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.   If you or someone you know have any of the symptoms mentioned above, it is advisable to seek professional help.