Joint Replacement

Joint Replacement Surgery - Surgical Joint Replacement Procedures What Is Joint Replacement Surgery? Joint replacement surgery is removing a damaged joint and putting in a new one. A joint is where two or more bones come together, like the knee, hip, and shoulder. The surgery is usually done by a doctor called an orthopaedic (pronounced or-tho-PEE-dik) surgeon. Sometimes, the surgeon will not remove the whole joint, but will only replace or fix the damaged parts. or in other words Total joint replacement is a type of joint surgery where the damaged joint is removed and replaced with a prosthesis or implant. Types of Joint Replacement.: Total joint replacement: the removal of damaged bone or joint tissue, which is then replaced with metal, ceramic and plastic parts. This surgery has been widely used for many years with excellent results, especially for knees and hips. Other joints, such as shoulders, elbows and knuckles, may also be replaced. This surgery has enabled many people who were severely disabled to become more active. Arthroscopy: the use of a tool called an arthroscope, a very thin tube with a light at the end, to see directly into the joint through a small incision in the skin. The arthroscope is connected to a closed-circuit television and allows the physician to see how much damage there is, and to treat what may be causing pain, such as torn meniscus cartilage (the cartilage disk in between the two articular surfaces of a joint), articular cartilage debris, synovial or joint lining tissue and ligaments. This procedure is done most often on knees and shoulders.  Arthroplasty: the rebuilding of joints. This can be done by resurfacing or relining the ends of bones when cartilage has worn away and bone has been destroyed. Arthroplasty also refers to total joint replacement. Hip joint replacement The hip joint is a ball-in-socket joint where the ball or head of the femur (thigh bone) joins the pelvis at the socket called the acetabulum. Knee joint replacement The knee is a complex joint, which is made up of the distal end of the femur (the femoral condyles), and the proximal end of the tibia (the tibial plateau). The femoral condyles usually glide smoothly on the tibial plateau, allowing for smooth, painless motion of the lower leg. Shoulder Joint Replacement: This is usually the result of osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, but more rarely for those who have sustained severe trauma from a shoulder fracture.