Joint Replacement through Arthritis Surgery

Arthritis surgery is indicated when the cartilage that insulates the bones in joints becomes degraded, to the point where they begin to rub together and cause extreme pain.

It is more than just life-style surgery though, for without it patients may become bed-ridden, or spend all their days in wheelchairs where their interest in themselves, and life in general gradually evaporates.

When Arthritis Surgery is Indicated

Because cartilage deterioration is a progressive and incurable disease, it makes sense to operate as soon as pain begins to limit sufferers’ regular activities.

Patients are usually over sixty years of age, may have difficulty sleeping at night, and will have exhausted all other possibilities too. However, arthritis surgery may not be advisable if a patient has a history of infection, is morbidly obese, or is otherwise physically or mentally unhealthy.

Surgery is also not recommended in the case of younger people. They are still active, and may overstress their replacement joints to the point where they might need to be replaced again, which may not then be possible.

The Arthritis Surgery Procedure

There are four components to an artificial joint. These are a replacement joint socket, the liner that fits inside it to do the job of cartilage, the ball that attaches to the end of the bone, and a metal pin inserted inside that bone to reinforce it.

Arthritis surgery, which is conducted under general or epidural anaesthesia, involves relining the socket of the joint, replacing the end of the bone with the metal or ceramic ball and fitting the metal pin, installing the liner, and then repairing the tendons and muscles that will hold the new joint together.

Before the Procedure

An arthritis surgery patient will be interviewed to determine whether they have other medical conditions such as diabetes or heart disease, as these will likely require further precautions to be taken.

If a patient smokes they will be asked to stop, because smoking slows down blood clotting and bone healing. They will also be advised to prepare their bedrooms and their routines for the day when they return home from surgery, for they could be bedridden for a while, and need special help.

After Arthritis Surgery

Patients awake to a strange new world of bandages and catheters, and nurses who seem bent on being a nuisance. They will be given breathing exercises to help prevent pneumonia, and may be asked to try to walk around the same day.

If you are preparing for joint replacement yourself, then try to remember this when you come round. Hospitals are for sick people, beds are scarce and your job is to be out and about again as soon as possible.

The Risks Patients Face

There is no such thing as a completely safe operation, which is why doctors refuse to do arthritis surgery prematurely. There may be unexpected allergic reactions to medication, and even outright rejection of the new joint.

The trauma during surgery could cause a heart attack or stroke, and there is always the attendant risk of infection developing in the joint, the lungs, the urinary tract or in the chest.

The need to avoid infection will continue for the patient’s entire life, including antibiotics before even simple dental procedures.

Effectiveness of Arthritis Surgery

Joint replacement operations have almost become routine, are generally speaking successful, and do away with most pain and stiffness too.

Some patients though have problems with infection, loosening of their new joints, and even dislocation. Because arthritis surgery is indicated for people over sixty years of age, the fifteen to twenty year lifespan of artificial joints is seldom a concern, although this could change with aging populations.