Joint Replacement Surgery – Should You or Shouldn’t You?

by Sanjay Singh Ask Apollo Suffering from osteoarthritis can make someone very weak and feel incapable of doing things. When arthritis severely affects the joints, one way of dealing with the complication is to undergo a joint replacement surgery, meaning replacing the damaged one with a new artificial one. This is helpful in both reducing the pain associated with the condition and also to restore the joint function that had been affected. Some of the most common surgeries are of a knee, hip and shoulder joint; and are usually recommended by experts too.

But are you the right candidate for such a surgery? Well, I hope this article will provide you that help in determining if you are indeed the right candidate for such a procedure.

Arthritis and Joints
Being a degenerative condition, Osteoarthritis damages joint surfaces: the place where the joints make contact; which includes the humerus and scapula (upper arm bone and shoulder blade) in the case of shoulder, and the femur (thigh bone), tibia (shin bone), and the patella (knee cap) in the case of a knee. In case of hip, it involves the pelvic socket and the femur.

Arthritis and Joint Replacement
So what does it involve? Replacing joint surfaces that are damaged with artificial ones is the objective of such a surgery. It consists of socket, stem, and ball in the case of shoulder and hip, while for knee it includes metal plates that are specially shaped to replace the damaged part, and it also includes plastic disc to replace certain pads of cartilage.

Should I Undergo A Joint Replacement Surgery?
You should no doubt consult an expert, but if you have a good health despite advanced arthritis, the surgery may be an option. However, you need to meet an orthopedic expert for sound advice, as this is not a simple case of viral fever or cold. But having said so here are some things that may indicate the need for such a surgery:

1. Having a severe arthritis.
2. Symptoms severely affecting the quality of life.
3. Conservative treatments proving to be ineffective. These treatments include the likes of physical therapy and anti-inflammatory medications. 
4. If you are ready and willing to participate in recovery and rehabilitation programs post-surgery.

However, Dr. Mahesh Kulkarni, a senior Orthopedician at Apollo Hospitals, Jehangir says that having mentioned these important points, weak health and other joint issues may make you less suitable for such a surgery. If you happen to be morbidly obese, an active smoker, have diabetes that is poorly controlled, or have infections in the joints that are affected by arthritis, it is advised that you opt out from the surgery. The first and foremost important thing patients need to consider is their health, which includes food and lifestyle habits; unless this is tackled first, the real root cause of ailments cannot be done away with.

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Created on Apr 27th 2018 08:52. Viewed 756 times.

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