Joint replacement is a surgical procedure that is used to treat a severely damaged joint. Hip and knee replacements are now routine procedures that can significantly improve a person’s quality of life.
In England from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023, there were 74,000 hip replacement procedures. Over the same period, there were 85,000 knee replacements. Surveys show 85.7% of hip replacement patients and 74.2% of knee replacement patients said they felt ‘much better’ after surgery.
What does joint replacement surgery entail?
Joint replacement removes a damaged or diseased joint and replaces it with an artificial joint, called a prosthesis. Artificial joints are made from a range of hard-wearing materials including medical grade plastic, titanium and ceramic. They function like a natural joint, allowing the patient to move their new joint with little or no pain.
Who is it suitable for?
Joint replacement surgery is offered to people who have severe arthritis or whose joint has been seriously damaged following a traumatic injury. You may be suitable for a joint replacement if you are experiencing pain and loss of function that is affecting your quality of life or ability to perform day-to-day tasks. You are likely to have tried other less invasive, non-surgical treatments – such as physiotherapy, pain-relieving injections or debridement (cleaning) of the joint – but no longer be experiencing sufficient relief from your symptoms.
Which joints can be replaced?
The most commonly replaced joints are the hips and knees. Elbows, ankles, shoulders and finger joints can also be replaced, however this type of surgery is far less common.
What is Mako joint replacement surgery?
Mako Robotic-Arm Assisted Surgery is the next generation of joint replacement surgery. It is being spearheaded by orthopaedic surgeons like Andrew Carrothers who has performed around 1000 Mako Total Knee, Partial Knee and Hip replacements to date and received overwhelmingly positive feedback from patients.
What makes this different from conventional joint replacement surgery is that it uses Mako SmartRobotics to plan and assist in the actual surgical procedure. Prior to surgery, Mako SmartRobotics uses a CT scan to create a 3D virtual model of the patient’s joint. Everyone’s anatomy is unique so this precision model allows the surgeon to see the patient’s individual joint alignment, highlighting damaged areas of bone that need to be removed and showing which parts of the joint can remain intact. Using these details, the surgeon creates a pre-surgical plan and identifies the correct size and placement of prosthetic implant.
During the procedure itself, the surgeon guides the Mako robotic arm to cut away arthritic bone and cartilage, based on the patient’s pre-operative plan. The robotic arm uses AccuStop haptic technology which alerts the surgeon if they start to cross a virtual boundary between damaged and healthy tissue. This helps ensure greater accuracy, which ultimately results in greater comfort for the patient.
What is the difference between a partial and a total joint replacement?
With a partial joint replacement, only one section of the natural joint (the damaged or diseased part) is removed and replaced with an artificial implant, whereas with a total joint replacement the entire joint is replaced.
How long do artificial joints last?
80% of Artificial joints typically last between 20 and 25 years. However, with prosthesis design and manufacture and actual implantation with Mako Robotic Arm assistance becoming increasingly sophisticated, this may increase as time goes on.
Are there any complications with joint replacement surgery?
Most people recover well from joint replacement surgery and experience vastly improved quality of life afterwards. However, as with all surgical procedures, there is a small risk of complications. Your surgeon will discuss the potential risks with you prior to surgery but they can include infection, blood clots or joint instability.
How long does it take to recover from joint replacement surgery?
Exact recovery times vary from patient to patient. However, typically you will make a good recovery within a few weeks. Most people can return to work 6-12 weeks after surgery, depending on the type of work they do and the necessary surgery performed. Your orthopaedic surgeon will advise you. It is generally quicker to recover from a partial joint replacement than a total joint replacement.
Why do I have to wait before I can have joint replacement surgery?
Patients sometimes ask why they have to wait until their arthritis symptoms are severe before being offered joint replacement surgery. There are a couple of reasons for this. As we explained above, although joint replacement surgery is a routine procedure, nevertheless it is major surgery and your orthopaedic consultant will want to make sure you have tried other, less invasive approaches before going down the surgical route. Also, because prosthetic implants do, eventually, wear out, it is advisable to wait until symptoms are appropriate to need joint replacement surgery to lower the chances of needing revision joint replacement surgery – which involves removing a worn-out implant and replacing it with a new one. The risk of complications is higher with revision joint replacements and the outcomes aren’t generally as good.
For more information about joint replacement surgery, including Mako Joint Replacements, contact us.
Talk to an orthopaedic consultant | Cambridge
We are always happy to provide information and guidance about the various treatment options, both surgical and non-surgical, including Mako Robotic Arm Assisted Surgery and conventional surgery.
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