Orthopaedic Surgery

Total Knee Replacement
When a knee replacement is performed, the bone and cartilage on the end of the thighbone (femur) and top of the shinbone (tibia) are removed. This is done using precision instruments to create exact surfaces in order to accommodate the implant. A metal and plastic knee replacement implant is then placed to function and work as a new knee joint. Depending on the condition of the cartilage on the under surface of the kneecap, this can also be replaced.

Selecting the Type of Knee Replacement Implant
In the market, different types of knee replacement implants are available. Your doctor will select a particular implant for your knee replacement that suits your condition. There are two basic types of implants

Cemented Knee Replacements
The most commonly used knee replacements are cemented into the bone. Cemented implants fit very nicely into position, and are immediately solidly fixed into the bone.

Press-Fit Knee Replacements
Press-fit implants are designed with a rough surface that bone can grow into. Over time the surrounding bone grows into the implant, which holds it solidly in the position.

How long does it take to perform a knee replacement?
Knee replacement surgery itself takes about 90 minutes, but time in the operating room is longer. You are left with about an eight-inch incision over the front of the knee. The incision is most commonly closed with metal clips called 'staples.' These clips remain in the skin for about two weeks and are then removed. Removal of the metal clips is almost pain-free.

Bilateral Knee Replacement
In case, both the knees are replaced at the same time, the procedure is known as bilateral knee replacement. The simultaneous procedure refers to replacing both the knees during one surgical event, under one anesthesia followed by a single rehabilitation period. A single surgical procedure means that the second knee is replaced at a later period several months apart, that requires two separate doctors' stays, anesthesia, and rehabilitation periods.

Hip Implants
In a total hip replacement surgery, surgeons use high-grade plastics, metal alloys and polymeric materials to replace a painful and vitiated joint with a superior, functional and durable prosthesis. Over the years, there have been considerable improvements in the design, construction and implantation of artificial hip joints and, which has resulted in high success rates.

An implant should carry following properties:

Hip replacement Surgery
The hip joint is located at a place where the upper end of the femur meets the acetabulum. The femur, or thighbone, looks like a long stem with a ball on the end. The acetabulum is a socket or cup-like structure in the pelvis, or hip bone. This "ball and socket" arrangement provides a wide range of motion and activities that include sitting, standing, walking, and other daily activities.

During the hip replacement surgery, the surgeon removes the tissue of diseased bone and cartilage from the hip joint. The healthy parts of the hip are left intact. Then the surgeon replaces the head of the femur (the ball) and the acetabulum (the socket) with new, artificial parts. The new hip is made of materials, which provide a natural, gliding motion of the joint. The surgery usually lasts for 2 to 3 hours.

Sometimes the surgeon may use a special glue, or cement, to bond the new parts of the hip joint to the existing, healthy bone. This procedure is known as "cemented" procedure. In an un-cemented technique, the artificial parts are made of porous material, which allow the patient's own bone to grow into the pores and bind the new parts in place. Sometimes doctors use "hybrid" replacement that consists of a cemented femur part and an un-cemented acetabular part.