Knee and hip replacement procedures are the third and fourth most common surgeries performed in the United States. What it feels like: A knee or hip replacement is needed when the joint has been damaged by arthritis, fracture or other injury:

• Pain
• Poor range of motion
• Difficulty doing daily activities

Who is affected? Arthritis is the leading cause for knee and hip replacements. The procedure is most commonly performed in older adults. How common is it? Every year, 600,000 knee replacements and 285,000 hip replacements are done in the U.S. Risk factors:

• Age
• Genetics
• Arthritis
• Injury

Treatment:

• Surgery
  • • Total hip replacement
    • Total knee replacement
    • Partial hip replacement
    • Partial knee replacement
    • Conformis joint replacements

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Dr. Abbi is proficient at hip and knee replacement having performed hundreds of these procedures throughout his career. Hip joint and knee joint replacements are helping people of all ages live pain- free, active lives. Joints are formed by the ends of two or more bones connected by tissue called cartilage. Healthy cartilage serves as a protective cushion, allowing smooth and low-friction movement of the joint. If the cartilage becomes damaged by disease or injury, the tissues around the joint become inflamed, causing pain. With time, the cartilage wears away, allowing the rough edges of bone to rub against each other, causing more pain. When only some of the joint is damaged, a surgeon may be able to repair or replace just the damaged parts. When the entire joint is damaged, a total joint replacement is done. To replace a total hip or knee joint, a surgeon removes the diseased or damaged parts and inserts artificial parts, called prostheses or implants. For more information regarding Hip replacement, click: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00377 or http://www.depuysynthes.com/patients/hip/ patient-treatment-center/hip-replacement For more information regarding Knee replacement, click: http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00389 or http://www.depuysynthes.com/patients/knee/ patient-treatment-center/knee-replacement