HIP ARTHROPLASTY
When to opt for surgery
Arthritis cannot be cured. Once the joint cartilage has been affected, it cannot be repaired. Arthritis – particularly in more elderly people – constitutes a serious limitation in terms of movement and leads to a reduced quality of life. Once all the conservative measures have been exhausted and the patient’s quality of life is altered due to hip arthritis, surgical treatment is required as pain is not alleviated, function is not regained and biomechanical alterations are inevitable. Arthritis will generally develop in the other hip and the knees.
The aim of surgical treatment is to free the patient from pain and to restore mobility, allowing him/her to enjoy life again. The first artificial hips were implanted in the 1960s. Scientists and doctors are dedicated to making improvements in implant design and materials. Today, hip implant surgery is one of the most common surgical procedures.
KNEE ARTHROPLASTY
When to opt for surgery
Arthritis cannot be cured. Once the joint cartilage has been affected, it cannot be repaired. However, from the physician’s point of view, it is possible to attempt to halt the progression of the disease, or at least to slow it down. Above all, it is possible to considerably reduce the symptomatology, so as to allow the patient to recommence his/her daily activities without feeling pain. Conservative therapy begins with the patient and his/her behaviour: weight loss is important to prevent excessive tiredness and loading of the affected joint. In the first phase of the disease, anti-inflammatory drugs, local anti-inflammatory injections and hyaluronic acid are useful but the quality of life progressively deteriorates if the arthritis worsens and surgery eventually becomes necessary.
The aim of knee arthroplasty is to free the patient from pain and to restore mobility, allowing him/her to enjoy life again. The first artificial knees were implanted in the 1960s. Scientists and doctors are dedicated to improving implant design and materials. Today knee implant surgery is one of the most common surgical procedures. In Germany alone, 150,000 knee prostheses are implanted each year.