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Total Joint Replacement Surgery at Main Street Hospital.

Remember the 1970s TV show The Six Million Dollar Man? Steve Austin, an astronaut who was almost killed in an accident, has his body literally rebuilt using technology, becoming the first bionic man.
Today, “going bionic” is a commonplace event for the hundreds of thousands of Americans who have joint replacement surgery every year, replacing their knee or hip (the two most common joint replacements) with a metal, plastic or ceramic device called a prosthesis.

At Main Street Hospital, we provide a comprehensive range of joint replacement options. Our team of board-certified orthopedic surgeons, nurses and physical therapists takes a whole-body approach to diagnosing and treating your hip, knee or shoulder pain. Thanks to recent advances in joint replacement surgery, patients today can often return to their favorite activities in a much shorter period of time. And the use of stronger, more technologically advanced materials means the devices used in joint replacement surgery today are lasting much longer.

To help you better understand total joint replacement surgery, here are some of the more frequently asked questions.

First of all, what exactly is a joint?
A joint is the part of your body where two bones come together, connected by cartilage. Over time, joints can wear out or be severely damaged by arthritis. The resulting pain, swelling and stiffness can cause a lack of mobility and a decline in a person’s quality of life.

What is joint replacement surgery?
It’s a surgical procedure in which a joint, such as the knee, hip or shoulder, is replaced with a prosthetic joint, made of plastic, metal, ceramic, or a composite of those materials.

How common is joint replacement surgery?
Very common. In fact, joint replacement surgery is one of the most common medical procedures performed today. Almost one million joint replacement surgeries are performed each year in the United States.

Who benefits from a joint replacement?
If you are having difficulty walking or find it painful to carry out daily activities such as climbing steps, you may want to consider having a joint replacement. A fractured hip is another reason to have this type of surgery. American seniors suffer some 300,000 hip fractures every year.

What’s the first logical step?
Your first step is to talk to your primary care physician and make an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon. In many cases, an X-ray or another imaging device is used to determine the severity of damage to the injured joint. Another step might involve arthroscopic surgery. A small lighted tube is inserted into the joint to inspect the area and determine the extent of the damage.

How successful is joint replacement surgery?
Very successful. In the case of hip surgery, for example, more than 95 percent of patients experience relief from pain. And the success rate for hip replacement after 10 years is 90 to 95 percent.

How long is the recovery time?
Joint replacement is major surgery. Everybody heals differently, but you can usually expect to spend several weeks recovering from your surgery. A physical therapist will usually work with you at the hospital and at home to help you strengthen and regain your strength in your joint and muscles. An appointment with your orthopedic surgeon is usually scheduled six to eight weeks after the surgery to make sure the joint is healing properly.

Many people are understandably anxious about having joint replacement surgery. But remember this: the overwhelming majority of people enjoy greater mobility, less pain and a more active lifestyle within a few weeks after their joint replacement surgery.

A Closer Look at Arthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common chronic condition affecting the joints. With osteoarthritis, the rubbery material called cartilage that provides a smooth gliding surface between bones breaks down. The resulting inflammation of the joints causes pain, stiffness, swelling and lack of mobility. This degenerative joint disease affects approximately 27 million Americans.

Unfortunately, half of all Americans believe that nothing can be done to treat arthritis. True, there is currently no cure for arthritis. But there are many treatments available, such as physical therapy and medications, which can relieve the symptoms. Eventually, arthritis can wear down a joint to the point where the pain is constant. If you find yourself not using the joint because of the pain it produces, you should consider joint replacement surgery.