Orthopaedic Surgery
Procedures
Total knee replacement
During total knee replacement (which is also called total knee arthroplasty), the surgeon removes the damaged surfaces of the knee joint and replaces them with metal and plastic components referred to as the prosthesis or implant. The implant is designed to replace the function of a healthy knee.
Partial knee replacement
This is where the disease has not progressed to all 3 compartments of the knee, allowing the surgeon to replace fewer parts.
In a unicondylar knee replacement, only one area (or compartment) of the joint is replaced. A patellofemoral knee replacement replaces the kneecap (or patella) and the grove at the lower end of the thighbone (or femur). A bicompartmental knee replacement affects two compartments of the knee – the inside (medial) and knee cap.
Total hip replacement
During total hip replacement (also called total hip arthroplasty), a surgeon removes the arthritic ball end of the femur (top of thigh bone) and inserts a metal component (a stem) into the bone. The surgeon also replaces the hip socket with an acetabular cup lined with durable polyethylene plastic.
Surgeons