For this edition of Tuesday Talk, Bruce E. Janke, M.D., orthopedic surgeon and medical director for Broward Health North's Joint Replacement Center, answers some questions on joint replacement surgery.
Question: When is it time to consider joint replacement surgery?
Answer: It's time to consider joint replacement surgery when the pain arising from the affected joint is affecting your quality life and non-operative measures no longer offer adequate relief of your symptoms. Non-operative measures can include anti-inflammatories, activity modifications, weight loss, injections, assisted devices for ambulation, and physical therapy.
Question: What are the benefits of the anterior approach to hip surgery?
Answer: The benefits to anterior approach hip replacement surgery are less pain post-operatively because muscles are not cut or detached during the operation. This muscle sparing technique allows for a faster recovery and return to activities of daily living. Since muscles are not cut or detached, the hip dislocation rate is almost zero and thereby eliminates the need for post-operative hip precautions. In addition, intra-operative x-rays are used to make sure proper implant alignment is obtained at the time of the operation and also allows for more accurate limb lengths. Traditional hip replacement techniques do not use x-rays until the patient is already in the recovery room at which time it is too late to make corrections.
If you need to talk to a doctor, visit www.browardhealth.org/find-doctor.