Total hip replacement is one of the most successful procedures in all of medicine. In the vast majority of cases, total hip replacement enables people to live more active lives without debilitating hip pain. Over time, however, a hip replacement can fail for a variety of reasons.
The decision to have orthopaedic surgery requires serious consideration. The OrthoInfo Orthopaedic Surgery Video Series for Patients has been developed specifically for patients to help them learn more about common orthopaedic surgical procedures.
Every year, thousands of conventional total shoulder replacements are successfully done in the United States for patients with shoulder arthritis. This type of surgery, however, is not as beneficial for patients with large rotator cuff tears who have developed a complex type of shoulder arthritis called "cuff tear arthropathy." For these patients, conventional total shoulder replacement may result in pain and limited motion, and reverse total shoulder replacement is a better option.
Total knee replacement is a successful procedure in the majority of patients with arthritis. It relieves pain and restores the function and alignment of the joint.
Sex is a normal and an important part of human nature that represents physical, mental and spiritual well-being.
If you are anticipating a hip replacement or knee replacement, here are frequently asked questions about recovery following surgery.
“Doctor, I’m ready to have my knee replacement surgery, but I’m a smoker. Is it safe for me to continue smoking and have my surgery?”
Joint replacement surgeons often hear this question in their offices. Quitting smoking is one of the most critical things to do in preparation for hip or knee replacement surgery so that your surgery will be successful.
Joint replacement can help relieve pain and enable you to live a fuller, more active life. If you and your orthopaedic surgeon have decided that you are a good candidate for joint replacement, you are in good company: In 2016, almost 1.25 million hip and knee replacement surgeries were performed in the United States, making it one of the most common orthopaedic procedures performed today.
Arthroplasty means the surgical repair of a joint. Orthopaedic surgeons performing an arthroplasty use metal and/or plastic parts to reconstruct degenerative, damaged, or arthritic joint surfaces in patients with severe arthritis who have failed nonsurgical treatment and have disabling function, limitation of activities of daily living, and severe pain.
You may know someone who had hip or knee replacement surgery and went home the same day. In the past, hip and knee replacement surgery required a hospital stay lasting several nights. With advances in procedural techniques, anesthesia medications, pain management and rehabilitation, some people can now have a joint replacement surgery without spending a night in the hospital.