The Surgical Procedure – A Primer for Prospective Patients

A hip or knee replacement takes about 2 hours. Your orthopedic surgeon and anesthesiologist, with your input, will determine what kind of anesthesia would be best for you: general, in which you are asleep; or a spinal or epidural, in which you are awake but the lower half of your body is anesthetized.

During the surgery, your orthopedic surgeon will remove the damaged cartilage and bone, then position new metal, plastic or ceramic joint surfaces. The implants restore the alignment and function of your hip or knee and prevent painful bone-on-bone contact.

After surgery, you will be moved to a recovery room where you will remain for one to two hours while being monitored. Thereafter, you will be taken to your hospital room.

Your hip replacement
There are different types of designs and materials used in artificial hip joints. All of them consist of two basic components: the ball (made of a highly polished strong metal or ceramic material) and the socket (a durable cup of plastic, ceramic or metal, which may have an outer metal shell). Special surgical cement may be used to fill the gap between the prosthesis and remaining natural bone to secure the artificial joint. A non-cemented prosthesis is also available, and most often used in younger, more active patients with strong bones. Sometimes, a combination of a cemented ball and a noncemented socket is used. The prosthesis may be coated with textured metal or a special bone-like substance, which allows your natural bone to grow into the prosthesis. Your orthopedic surgeon will choose the type of prosthesis that best meets your needs.

Your knee replacement
In knee replacement surgery, the cartilage on the ends of the bones is removed and replaced with prosthetic materials. Different types of designs and materials are used, but nearly all of them consist of three components: the femoral component, which is made of a highly polished strong metal and located at the bottom of the thighbone; the tibial component, made of a durable plastic and located at the top of the tibia bone; and the patellar component, also plastic, which is placed under the kneecap.

Your Nyack Hospital orthopedic surgeon is the best resource for answers to questions concerning exactly how your prosthetic knee or hip will be constructed, and what to expect from your hospital experience.