What is a Joint Replacement Surgery Procedure?

							       What is a Joint Replacement Surgery Procedure?
Joint replacement therapy improves the lives of people with damaged joints
and arthritis. Basically, the surgery involves the removal of painful knee, hip
and shoulder joints and replacing them with artificial joints usually made of
plastic and metal components, or just fixing the damaged portions. The
procedure is a last resort option after all other treatments have failed to offer
substantial relief from pain. The doctor who performs such a surgery is called
an orthopedic surgeon. While the knee and hip joints are replaced quite often,
the elbow, finger, ankle, and shoulder joints may also be replaced.


What Causes Damages to Joints?
People are exposed to injuries, diseases, arthritis and other factors which may
damage the joints. Some joints slowly wear away due to years of use. Damage
to the joints result in stiffness, pain, and swelling, and may limit the blood flow
leading to limited health, growth and repair of the joints.


The New Joint: What Is It?
The new joints, also known as “prosthesis,” are made of plastics, metals or both and are either cemented or fixed (uncemented ) into place
with allowance for bone growth. Cemented joints are commonly used in surgeries for older people with little bone growth and less mobility.
Uncemented joints are recommended for young people who have active bone growths and high mobility. Uncemented joint replacement
surgery means longer duration before full recovery since the bone has to grow in order to attach to the joint. Replaced uncemented joints l ast
between 10 and 15 years and younger patients can expect to have orthopedic surgery more than once.


The Joint Replacement Surgery Procedure
The surgery is performed either traditionally or through a minimally-invasive technique. The two techniques differ only in terms of the incision
size. In the standard orthopedic surgery, the patient is injected with a dose of anesthesia for muscle relaxation and a temporarily deep sleep.
The operated patient will, therefore, neither be conscious of the procedure nor feel any pain. At times, surgeons choose to give spinal
anesthetic as the alternative for pain prevention.


The surgeon then cuts along the side of the joint, moves muscles and exposes the joint. For instance, during hip joint operations the hip joint
is exposed by moving muscles linked to the thighbones before using a saw to cut the thighbone and removing the ball section of the joint.
Cement or a unique material capable of attaching the new joint to the remaining bone is used to attach a new artificial joint . The surgeon will
then prepare the bone surface, removing damaged cartilage and attaching replacement sockets. New balls are inserted into new replaced
sockets and drains are fixed for draining fluids. The surgeon would finally reattach muscles and close incisions.


Even though the standard technique (single 8-10 inch cuts on the side) is dominant in joint replacement surgeries, many doctors have moved
to the minimally invasive technique (single or double cuts of 2-5 inch lengths). The smaller cuts are believed to reduce loss of blood, lessen
post-surgical pain, hasten healing, reduce the appearance of scars, and shorten the hospital stay period. However, research has
demonstrated that minimally invasive technique may endanger the life of the patient more than the standard technique if the procedure is
performed by an inexperienced surgeon. Therefore, patients should choose a highly qualified and skilled surgeon for such a technique. It is
prudent to donate blood prior to joint replacement surgery, in case a post-surgical transfusion is needed in the event of massive blood loss.


Dr. Kurt Hirshorn is one of the best orthopedic surgeons in St Petersburg, FL. For more information or if you need medical attention, contact
us online or call us at 727-755-0313




                                                                                                                    St Pete Hip and Knee
                                                                                                                       4600 4th Street North
                                                                                                                    St Petersburg, FL 33703
                                                                                                                     Phone: (727) 755-0313