FAQ

This surgery is intended for people with severe knee damage, due to injury or to arthritis-related deterioration of the joint. Knee replacement can relieve pain and allow you to be more active. Your doctor may recommend it if you have persistent knee pain, and medicine and other treatments are not helping you anymore.

During knee replacement surgery, the surgeon removes the damaged bone and cartilage of the joint and replaces it with smooth, artificial implants—thereby eliminating painful bone-on-bone contact.

There are several reasons why your doctor may recommend knee replacement surgery. People who benefit from knee replacement surgery often have:

• Knee pain that limits everyday activities, such as walking or bending
• Knee pain that continues while resting, either day or night
• Stiffness in a knee that limits the ability to move or bend the leg
• Inadequate pain relief from anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy or walking supports

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reports that more than 600,000 knee replacements are performed each year in the United States.¹

Even better news is that the U.S. Department of Health and Human services considers total knee replacement to be one of the most successful and cost-effective interventions in medicine. In fact, the success rate for knee replacements 10 years after surgery is 90—95%.¹

Total knee replacement

Total knee replacement (sometimes shortened to TKR) is a surgical procedure to replace the ends of the femur and the tibia that have been damaged by osteoarthritis or other conditions, with prosthetic devices that duplicate the motion and weight-bearing abilities of the original joint.

Partial knee replacement

A partial knee replacement (also known as unicompartmental, or UKR) may be recommended if arthritic damage is confined to only one area of your knee. Because a partial knee replacement doesn’t extend across the entire joint, the damaged portion of the knee is replaced while the supporting ligaments vital to knee stability may be spared.

Minimally invasive knee surgery

Whether you are having a total or a partial knee replacement, you may be a candidate for what’s known as minimally invasive surgery. This surgical technique uses specially designed instruments that help minimize disruption of the soft tissues in the joint during your surgery, with the aim of reducing post-operative pain and speeding the recovery process. A primary cause of post-surgical pain is the swelling that occurs any time the soft tissue of the body is cut or otherwise manipulated. Minimally invasive surgery may also result in a smaller incision scar.

There are several reasons why your doctor may recommend hip replacement surgery. People who benefit from hip replacement surgery often have:

• Hip pain that limits everyday activities, such as walking or bending
• Hip pain that continues while resting, either day or night
• Stiffness in a hip that limits the ability to move or lift the leg
• Inadequate pain relief from anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy or walking supports

Hip fracture treatment depends on a number of variables. The two main considerations are the exact location of the fracture and whether the fracture is stable or unstable.

The decision to have hip replacement surgery should be a cooperative one made by you, your family, your primary care doctor and your orthopaedic surgeon. According to hospital billing data, each year more than 340,000 such procedures are performed in the US.² Even better news is that the US Department of Health and Human services considers total hip replacement to be one of the most successful and cost effective interventions in medicine.² In fact, the success rate for hip replacements 10 years after surgery is 90-95%.²

There are no absolute age or weight restrictions for total hip replacements. Recommendations for surgery are based on a patient’s pain and disability, not age. Most patients who undergo total hip replacement are 50 to 80 years old², but orthopaedic surgeons evaluate patients individually. Total hip replacements have been performed successfully at all ages.

During hip replacement surgery, the surgeon removes the damaged bone and cartilage of the joint and replaces it with smooth, artificial implants—thereby eliminating painful bone-on-bone contact.