Total Hip Replacement (THR – also known as Total Hip Arthroplasty) is performed on patients when other therapies like pain medication fail to provide relief from the pain of a damaged hip. It relieves pain and gives the patient the range of motion which is needed for daily tasks. In THR, the painful parts of the damaged hip are replaced with artificial hip parts called prosthesis.

Duration
The surgery usually takes two to four hours and varies with each patient, depending upon the severity. The patient is taken to the recovery room and closely monitored. In the weeks immediately following surgery, the patients usually need walking aids such as a cane or crutches. However within few months the patient can return to normal activities. A total knee replacement rehabilitation program is begun after the surgery and takes approximately ten days.

In arthritis patients, bones of the hip joint become rough and worn and they rub together causing, pain, swelling and swiftness. Birmingham Hip Resurfacing is a surgical procedure which shields these worn surfaces in the joint with smooth, durable high carbide cobalt chrome.

Birmingham Hip Resurfacing is more advantageous over Total Hip Replacement surgery due to bone conservation, especially in younger patients. Unlike traditional hip replacement surgery, resurfacing does not remove as much of hip bones Instead, the process simply machines away the rough damaged surface of the hip joint bones and replaces them with more durable high carbide cobalt chrome.

Knee replacement surgery is performed to treat advanced arthritis. If the medical management for the knee pain is not effective, or deformity has become severe and debilitating, knee replacement surgery is advised.

The total knee replacement surgery involves resurfacing the parts of the bones of the knee that rub together with metal and plastic implants. Using special, precision instruments, the surgeon removes the damaged surfaces of all three bones. The replacement surfaces are then fixed into their place.

Patients having some healthy joint surfaces undergo partial knee replacement. In this procedure, only the diseased portion of the knee is resurfaced, before placing the implant, leaving the healthy portion untouched.

Duration
The surgery takes two to tree hours to complete, and this duration varies from patient to patient. After the surgery the patient is taken to the recovery room and monitored closely. A total knee replacement rehabilitation program is begun after the surgery and takes approximately a week’s time.

Minimal Invasive Surgery (MIS) involves undergoing a small incision, which is one- third to one- fourth the size of traditional incision. In this procedure, only the diseased portion of the knee is removed unlike in the total knee replacement surgery, where all the three bones are resurfaced and replaced.

Minimal Invasive Surgery is more advantageous over traditional knee replacement surgery due to shorter hospital stay, smaller incision scar and faster rehab. Also, patients undergoing MIS usually have increased range of motion as compared to patients undergoing Total Knee Replacement.


Duration
Rehabilitation time for MIS is around five weeks.