Joint Replacement Specialist

What joints can an orthopedic surgeon replace?

The team at Alpine Orthopedics and Sports Medicine most often perform joint replacement surgery on the knee, shoulder, and hip joints. They also have the skills and experience to replace nearly every joint in the body, including ankle joints.

When might I need a joint replacement?

Any health condition or injury that extensively damages the structures in a joint may lead to joint replacement surgery. With only a few exceptions, your provider first treats your joint condition with comprehensive non-surgical care. 

When conservative medical treatment no longer helps, joint replacement relieves your pain and restores mobility. The conditions that often end up needing a total joint replacement include:

• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Rotator cuff tear arthropathy
• Traumatic injuries
• Osteonecrosis

Joint replacement may be the first treatment you need if you suffer a traumatic sports injury or have advanced osteonecrosis. Osteonecrosis occurs when bones in the joint die because of a blocked blood supply.

How is joint replacement performed? 

No matter which joint you need to replace, the basic procedure is the same. Your provider removes all the damaged bone and cartilage, restructures the remaining bone, and implants a prosthetic joint.

Your prosthesis consists of metal, plastic, ceramics, or a combination of materials. The pieces that replace your bones typically consist of metal or ceramics, while plastic components replace cartilage. By design, all prosthetics mimic the movement of the joint being replaced. 

Do I need a partial and or total joint replacement? 

Your provider may recommend a total or partial joint replacement, depending on the joint and the extent of the damage. For example, osteoarthritis may only affect one compartment in the knee joint.

When the joint degeneration is limited to one area, your provider can replace that specific area with prosthetic parts and leave the rest of your knee joint intact, which preserves the healthy tissues. 

Is total joint replacement an option?

Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure that allows the team at Alpine Orthopedics and Sports Medicine to perform your surgery using small incisions. In many cases, they perform joint replacements using this technique.

Smaller incisions cause less trauma and often allow your provider to keep muscles intact. As a result, the benefits of arthroscopic surgery include less bleeding, less post-op pain, and a faster recovery.

If you have chronic joint pain and would like to explore joint replacement, call Alpine Orthopedics and Sports Medicine today or connect online to request an appointment.