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Total Joint Replacement

Overview


Total Joint Replacement Overview

Joint replacement is a surgical procedure in which the joint surface is replaced with an orthopaedic prosthesis when there is severe joint pain that is not alleviated by less-invasive therapies. Joints may be partially or totally replaced, depending on the location and severity of the problem.

Total joint replacement is considered if other treatment options will not relieve the pain and/or disability. If the pain is severe enough a person will avoid using the joint, weakening the muscles around the joint making the joint less functional. To avoid this downhill slide, the goal of total joint replacement is to relieve the pain in the joint caused by the damage done to the cartilage. A physical examination, and possibly some laboratory tests and X-rays, will show the extent of damage to the joint.

Total joint replacements of the hip, knee, and shoulder have been performed since the 1960s. Today, these procedures have been found to result in significant restoration of function and reduction of pain in 90 to 95% of patients. While the expected life of conventional joint replacements is difficult to estimate, it is not unlimited. Today’s patients can look forward to potentially benefiting from new advances that may increase the lifetime of the prostheses.

Conditions Treated

Total Joint Replacement Conditions Treated

Waterbury Orthopaedic Associates provide diagnosis and treat orthopaedic diseases and injuries of the musculoskeletal system including the bones and joints of the arms, legs, spine and related structures such as nerves, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. The goal of our fellowship-trained orthopaedic physicians is to return you to optimum health and help you with normal, pain-free, daily activity.

  • Avascular Necrosis (AVN)
  • Abnormal Formation or Alignment of the Knee
  • Injury of the Hip

  • Osteoarthritis
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • Traumatic Arthritis

  • Injury of the Knee
  • Osteonecrosis
  • Bone Tumors