| You've decided you want hip or knee replacement | | | | same prosthesis. They have stood the test of time. |
| surgery and now it's time to choose a surgeon. Or | | | | What makes one operation a success and another |
| maybe you're asking the question, "When will I be | | | | less successful is mostly a matter of surgical skill and |
| ready?" Hip or knee replacement surgery requires | | | | experience. |
| careful planning, but it is also something that can give | | | | In the US, 225,900 primary hip replacements and |
| you back your vitality and give you back you. The | | | | 431,485 primary knee replacements were carried out |
| earlier you examine these five key topics relating to | | | | in 2004 according to data from the Nationwide |
| joint replacement, the better. | | | | Inpatient Sample. In the UK, 27,814 primary hip |
| 1. Judge a surgeon by the opinion of his professional | | | | replacements and 75,629 primary knee replacements |
| peers, rather than the opinion of his community of | | | | were recorded in the National Joint Registry in 2008. |
| followers. | | | | Of these, a very tiny number have problems, |
| As patients, we can be easily seduced by the | | | | statistics show less than 1% overall. |
| amount of praise surrounding a surgeon. When you're | | | | 4. Statistics show a growing number of years in the |
| looking for a surgeon, you might hear the phrases, | | | | longevity of prostheses. |
| 'Mr. X is highly/well respected in our area' or 'Mr. X is | | | | The official longevity for hip and knee replacement |
| the 'top' surgeon'. Such recommendations are good | | | | surgery is 10 to 15 years. But professionals believe it |
| but they're not everything. | | | | to be closer to 15 to 20. If we look at the statistics |
| ALL surgeons are 'well respected' and have 'fans'. It | | | | alone, longevity reflects as much as 20 to 25 years. |
| comes with the job. But it means little if your hip is | | | | Despite the strength of these statistics, many |
| botched up and later you discover a few others with | | | | continue to hold off on their surgery. People with |
| similar regrets. | | | | knee and hip problems will cut back on 40% or more |
| The best thing to do when choosing a knee or hip | | | | of the things that make their lives worthwhile. |
| replacement surgeon is to interview each one with a | | | | Ask yourself this: Just how much more disabled do |
| list of questions you prepare ahead of time. The | | | | you want to be before you get that hip/knee fixed? |
| second best thing to do is to judge a surgeon not by | | | | Nobody knows what's around the corner. Anything |
| the opinion of his locality or even his hospital, but by | | | | could happen. If you wait another 5 or 10 years, you'll |
| the opinion of the medical community. | | | | never get those years back. |
| 2. Let the surgeon decide which prostheses is the | | | | 5. Take a list of questions to ask your prospective |
| most optimal one for you rather than the | | | | doctor. |
| manufacturer. | | | | Posing these questions to your surgeon will help |
| In your preliminary research, you might have already | | | | inform your decision on which is the best one for |
| noticed the mountain of information about different | | | | you. We suggest you print these questions off and |
| prostheses. Manufacturers have websites to promote | | | | take them to your doctor.o How long have you used |
| their own products and they tend to emphasize the | | | | your current prosthesis and what are your reasons |
| positives in their own wares and compare them with | | | | for having selected it?o How many do you do each |
| the negatives of others. | | | | year? (anything over 50 is good)o What is your |
| Metal on plastic has been the benchmark combination | | | | infection rate? (0.5% or less is good)o What is your |
| of materials since the early sixties. In addition, there is | | | | incidence of short-term complications - dislocations, |
| metal on metal, ceramic on plastic and ceramic on | | | | wound infections?o What is your incidence of |
| ceramic. Each have their own positive and negative | | | | long-term complications - infections, loosenings, |
| aspects but ultimately these are decisions for your | | | | breakages of prosthesis, clicking, clunking, |
| surgeon to make. | | | | unidentifiable pains, need for manipulations? |
| 3. Rest assured hip and knee replacement surgery | | | | Any surgeon worth his salt will not only be willing to |
| has been tried and tested over the years. | | | | discuss these questions but also have the figures |
| Hip and knee replacement surgery is not a new | | | | ready at hand. If you note any hint of reluctance, |
| phenomenon. Successful procedures were taking | | | | offense or waffling, go find yourself another surgeon! |
| place in the early sixties. There is a news report at | | | | Once you have found a surgeon whose responses |
| the head of the BoneSmart.org hip replacement | | | | you feel comfortable with, accept whatever |
| forum about a lady who had hers done in 1966! | | | | prosthesis he uses. Trust is an essential ingredient in |
| Most prostheses have also been around for years. | | | | patient/doctor relations. |
| Although they have been 'redesigned' and | | | | All the best in your journey to a new joint! |
| refashioned from time to time, they are basically the | | | | |