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Joint Replacements

By Doctor Juan Carlos Romero
Medical specialist in orthopedics and traumatology
Sub-Specialist in Joint Surgery (Arthroscopy and Sports Orthopedics, Joint Reconstruction)
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What is joint replacement surgery?

Joint replacement surgery, or arthroplasty, is a procedure in which the damaged joint is removed and an artificial joint is put in its place. A joint is the place where two or more bones meet, such as the knee, hip, or shoulder. Usually an orthopedic surgeon is the one who performs the surgery. Sometimes the surgeon does not remove the entire joint, but replaces or repairs only the damaged parts.

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Your doctor may recommend joint replacement to improve your quality of life. Joint replacement surgery can relieve pain and help you move more easily and feel better. The hips and knees are the most frequently replaced joints. Other joints that can be replaced include the shoulders, finger joints, ankles, and elbows.

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What can happen to the joints?

Joints can be damaged by arthritis and other diseases, injuries, or other causes. Joints can wear out from arthritis or simply over the years. This wear and tear can cause pain, stiffness, and swelling. Joint disease or injury can decrease blood flow. This can lead to other complications, as bones need blood to stay strong, grow, and heal.

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How is the artificial joint?

The artificial joint, which is technically called a prosthesis, can be made of plastic, metal, or ceramic. It can be fixed with cement or without cement so that the bone can grow into the prosthesis. Both methods can also be combined to keep the joint in place.

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Do many people have joint replacement surgery?

Every day joint replacement surgery is more common. Annually, more than one million people in the United States undergo hip or knee replacement surgery. Research has shown that this surgery can help even older patients regain mobility and feel better.

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What Happens After Surgery?

Patients undergoing hip or knee replacement surgery will usually have to stay in the hospital for a few days. If you are elderly or have some other disability, you may have to spend several weeks in an intermediate care facility before returning home. Your team of doctors, together with you, will decide how long you will stay in the hospital.

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Often the patient can stand up and begin walking the same day as the hip or knee replacement surgery. At first you will walk with a walker or crutches. You may feel pain in your artificial joint for a time because your muscles will be weak from lack of use and your body will be healing. The pain can be relieved with medicine and should not last more than a few weeks or months.

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