ABC Medical Center > Procedures > Joint replacement

What is Joint replacement?

21:59 - 4 May , 2021

Medical procedure

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It is a type of surgery that consists of replacing the damaged or diseased parts of the joint with other artificial and mechanical ones called prostheses, regularly made of metal, plastic, or ceramic. The most frequent are hip and knee, although shoulders, ankles, and elbows can also be replaced. The goal is to relieve pain and help you move that joint with greater ease.

It is considered as an alternative after exercise, physical therapy, and medications fail to decrease pain and improve mobility. 

Joint damage can be caused by:

  • Joint wear when there is bone necrosis due to lack of blood supply. 
  • Injuries.
  • Arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Your doctor will assess the range of motion and joint strength, for this, he or she will request the tests and studies deemed necessary for your case, since sometimes only the damaged parts are replaced, not the entire joint. 

Potential risks:

Although the risk of joint replacement surgery is decreasing due to medical advances, some complications can still occur, such as:

  • Loosening. 
  • Luxation or inadaptability of the new joint.
  • Clots.
  • Infections.

Pain after surgery is normal due to recovery of the tissues and lack of activity, which will subside over time and with the exercises recommended by your orthopedist and physical therapy.

How quickly you recover will depend on your activity level before surgery, your general health, the degree and duration of the physical problem, the type of surgery, and your expectations. 

At the Orthopedics and Traumatology Center we seek to improve the lives of patients restricted or immobilized by musculoskeletal disorders or injuries. We specialize in the care of the locomotor system by integrating the latest medical, biological, and technological advances, in strict adherence to the highest international standards of patient care.

We put our skills and knowledge at your service to provide you and your loved ones with cutting-edge treatments and highly specialized medical care in the following procedures:

We treat injuries such as:

  • Dislocation.
  • Chronic bone and joint diseases.
  • Ligaments.
  • Spinal diseases.
  • Joint replacements.

Related centers and departments:

Fuentes: 

  • orthoinfo.aaos.org
  • mayoclinic.org
  • jhealthyjoints.life
  • visionmedica.com
  • medigraphic.com
  • Torres-Claramunt R, Gil-González S, Hinarejos-Gómez P, et al. Resultados funcionales y de calidad de vida tras una artroplastía total de rodilla al año y cinco años de seguimiento. Acta Ortop Mex. 2020;34(4):211-214. doi:10.35366/97553. 
  • Strassburger-Weidmann J, Vélez-de Lachica JC. Satisfacción del paciente operado de artroplastía primaria de cadera con abordaje anterior, lateral y posterior. Acta Ortop Mex. 2019;33(6):395-399. doi:10.35366/93348. 
  • Bautista M, Muskus M, Bonilla G, et al. ¿Cómo seleccionar una prótesis para un reemplazo primario de cadera? Mínima supervivencia aceptable: resultados de un consenso de expertos . Acta Ortop Mex. 2017;31(6):292-299.
  • García Dobarganes-Barlow F, Negrete-Corona J, Pola-Rodríguez LC . Reemplazo bilateral de rodilla. Acta Ortop Mex. 2017;31(6):269-272.

How can we help you?

    The dissemination of the content of this material is for informational purposes only and does not replace, under any circumstance or condition, a consultation with a specialist doctor, for which the ABC Medical Center is not responsible for the different use that may be given to it. If you require more information related to the subject, we suggest you contact the specialist doctor you trust directly.