Major Joint Replacements – Do They Need Major Incisions Too?

Replacement of major joints such as the hip and knee joints are carried out following loss of joint function and pain, secondary to a disease process such as osteoarthritis or injury. Until recently, major joint replacements required surgical incisions as long as ten inches. A long incision not only exposes the patient to an increased risk of infection by delaying healing but also leaves an ugly scar after healing. Joint replacement and implant surgeons have begun to use smaller incisions that produce more cosmetically acceptable results and reduce the hospitalization time.

Major joints, such as the hip, have two parts. The acetabular socket, a part of the pelvic bone, and the head of the thigh bone which fits snuggly into the socket. Hip joint replacementand implant surgery involves removal of both these parts and using artificial replacements known as implants. The entire joint replacement surgery and implant takes not more than an hour. The implants are made of titanium, cobalt chromium metal alloys and high density plastic. Minimally invasive surgery for a major joint replacement implant, such as that of the hip joint, involves using an incision as small as three inches to reach the joint. A smaller incision has many advantages. Blood loss is minimal and there is less injury to the surrounding soft tissue such as the muscle. Since there is less tissue damage, the patient is able to walk earlier.

More research into joint replacements has enabled improvements in the quality of the implants. Modern implants are available that last the lifetime of the patient. Joint replacements have made possible intense recreational activities such as cycling, skiing and swimming which the patient with diseased joints would otherwise have given up.

Also see; minimally invasive hip operation.

About The Author:

Dr. Bharat Sharma is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.hip-replacement-care.com. He has been working in the medical rehab field for more than a decade. Keeping up to date with techological advancements he has become a self appointe