A joint can be described
as when two or more bones come together such as the knee,
hip, shoulder etc. Joint replacement surgery may involve
removing the whole joint or just part of the joint. The most
common joints replaced by orthopedic surgeons are the hip
and knee.
Most Patients presenting for joint replacement do
so because they have suffered for some time with arthritis
orthey have suffered an injury to the joint itself. Usually
many Patients have taken medication for years and now it
seems to have little effect on the pain.
Replacement joints are made of
metal or plastic or both. The Surgeon may choose to cement
the joint in place or not, depending on your personal requirements
.Joints that are not cemented in are often used on younger
people where new bone will eventually grow around the
joint. If you are less mobile and/or your bones are rather
weak, the Surgeon may well decide to cement the new prosthesis
in place.
Joint
replacement surgery is extremely common and can be very successful
in achieving more mobility. You must remember however that
the operation will not last for life and it may need to be
repeated about every fifteen years or so.
The decision to proceed
with a replacement joint is usually assessed after an arthroscopy.
You can read more about this procedure in our section on
other orthopaedic procedures. Sometimes this type of surgery
may be indicated instead of a replacement joint. Your Orthopaedic
Surgeon will be able to assess the situation after appropriate
tests have been carried out.He will also take x-rays to help
evaluate your situation.
If you have real problems walking and movement generally,
a joint replacement may be the best option for you.
The procedure
is usually carried out under general anesthetic although
special local anesthetics can be used with or without sedation
in selected cases. Our Anesthetists and Surgeon will discuss
with you the best option for you taking into account the
procedure itself and your medical history.
The operation takes about two hours to complete.
Following
your surgery you will remain in hospital for five to seven
days depending on the type of surgery and your follow up
care required in the early days.
You will be surprised just
how soon you are able to walk after surgery, although the
area will be very tender at first, mobility is encouraged
as soon as one day after surgery. You will be provided with
crutches or a walker in the first days to provide support.
Following
surgery the Surgeon will suggest a rehabilitation programme
to get the joint working well and to strengthen the area.
It
takes a while for your body to get used to the new joint,
but as time passes by you will have much improved mobility.
the discomfort will lessen and your quality of life will
be noticeably better.
A recuperation break in Marbella afterwards
is the prefect setting to recover from Joint replacement
surgery. You can relax and focus on your rehabilitation with
our help every step of the way. You can return to normal
activities such as walking golfing, dancing etc, but more
strenuous sports that put stress on the joints may not be
recommended. Your new joint will last longer if you do not
put too much stress on it.
Free Consultation - the
next step
The next step is to arrange a free
private consultation with our Mills & Mills Orthopaedic
Surgeon at a centre
near you. This is easy to do. Simply call us on the
number provided and we will do the rest. We will be happy
to chat with you on the phone and answer any questions
that you might have. We know how important this procedure
is to you. It is our aim to provide you with a service
second to none.
We look forward to hearing from
you.
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