Hip & Knee Reconstruction

When you’re unable to move due to the stress or pressure in your hip or knee joint, you may need a joint replacement. As your knee and hip become subject to age-related conditions, the cartilage around these joints begins to degenerate.

Over time, the bone-on-bone friction creates inflammation and pain that makes it hard to walk, stand or even put weight on your afflicted leg. After your orthopaedic doctor consults with you and gets a closer look at what’s causing your pain, they’ll discuss the next steps to address your problem.

If this pain can’t be resolved with anti-inflammatory medications, lifestyle adjustments or minimally invasive hip resurfacing procedures, your doctor will prepare you for a hip or knee replacement.

Your doctor will plan your procedure based on the progression and severity of osteoporosis, bone and cartilage decay and the amount of pain you experience on a daily basis. Your hip or knee might call for a standard surgical approach, a minimally invasive anterior reconstructive approach or a robotic-assisted method using the latest technologies for added precision and care.

Normally, the rounded head of your thighbone –– the femoral head –– should comfortably fit within the socket inside your hip bone. Cartilage within that socket acts as protective tissue between both bones. When the cartilage wears down, the two bones may rub together, causing pain and inflammation while impacting your daily life.

After analyzing your symptoms, your doctor will determine whether your hip requires total reconstruction or resurfacing. In a total hip replacement, an artificial joint takes the place of the diseased cartilage between the femur, or thigh bone, and the pelvic bone. Meanwhile, resurfacing means that the femoral head is smoothed with a prosthetic covering to allow for easier movement and minimized difficulties.

Here, we perform total and partial knee replacements, with the nature of each procedure determined by the patient’s immediate needs.

Surgeries may be biocompartmental, medial, patellofemoral or lateral.

In a biocompartmental knee replacement, the doctor reconstructs the internal compartment of the knee as well as the kneecap with an implant.

For a medial replacement, the doctor performs a partial reconstruction of the inside compartment.

With a patellofemoral replacement, your doctor reconstructs the knee’s front-facing portion, where your kneecap meets your thighbone.

Finally, in a lateral replacement, your doctor reconstructs the outside part of your knee.

The amount of time it takes you to get used to your new hip or knee is entirely dependent on you. More than 85 percent of our surgical patients are up and walking on the same day as their surgery.

That said, the healing process takes time and your doctor will prescribe a physical therapy plan for you to follow. Our certified therapists will guide you through a routine of stretches, exercises and movements that acquaint you with your prosthetic joint, helping it feel as natural as the body parts you’ve had since birth.

On average, hip and knee replacements last around 10 to 15 years, but if you follow your doctor’s recommendations and stay active –– while avoiding overexertion and injury –– you have the potential to extend the life of your hip and knee implant by many years.