Total Knee Replacement

Total knee replacement surgery is very effective in relieving nearly all pain, in most cases. It is important to realize that a knee "replacement" is actually a "resurfacing" of the knee joint. The femur or thighbone is covered with a metal covering and plastic is placed on the tibia so the metal and plastic implants smoothly glide against each other, much like natural cartilage. In most cases the undersurface of the kneecap is also replaced with a plastic surface so that this glides with the femoral surface.

Activities after knee replacement that should produce no difficulty are simple walking, bicycling, golfing, and swimming. The prosthesis is not designed for impact loading sports such as skiing, basketball, and racquetball. People have been known to play doubles tennis with bilateral knee replacements.

Total Hip Replacement

According to the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons, more than 168,000 hip replacements are performed each year. Of these, osteoarthritis accounts for the majority of patients needing a hip replacement operation. The condition, affecting about 30 million Americans, occurs when cartilage on the end of bone begins wearing away, causing pain and stiffness. But when the cartilage wears away completely, the bones rub directly against each other and hip replacement is needed.

Other degenerative hip diseases leading to the need for hip replacement surgery include avascular necrosis, a condition where the head of the femur loses some of its blood supply and actually dies. Hip fractures as well as some types of hip conditions that appear in childhood can also lead to degeneration many years after an injury and require the need for hip replacement surgery. In a problem hip, where the cartilage has worn away, the joint bone becomes rough and pitted, resulting in pain and limited range of motion. At MountainView, we are dedicated to maximizing your functionality with less pain. Hip replacement surgery can add to your quality of life and help you quickly return to many of your daily activities.

For more information, please call (702) 233-5474.