Hip and Knee Joint Replacement Boca Raton & Boynton Beach

Hip and knee replacement surgeries may be undertaken successively, following a thorough diagnosis and assessment from the doctor. If the patient presents symptoms that are similar and on the same sides of the body, then the surgeries may be spaced out within six weeks to three months of each other.

In some cases, doctors may perform both surgeries at the same time, which is called a bilateral surgery. However, it is usually recommended to do a unilateral surgery, starting with the hip replacement first, since this procedure is straightforward. A knee replacement surgery is more complicated and will require more recovery time than the hips. 

Hip replacement surgery in Boca Raton and Boynton Beach

Hip replacement surgery is performed in patients whose hip has been damaged by an injury, arthritis, or other orthopedic conditions. If medications and lifestyle modification techniques have failed to relieve the pain, stiffness, or movement limitations, our orthopedic surgeons usually recommend patients to undergo hip replacement in Boynton Beach or hip replacement in Boca Raton. During the surgery, the injured or damaged part of the hip is removed and replaced with a prosthetic.

Patients need to discuss this thoroughly with family members and their orthopedic doctor, weigh the risks and benefits of the procedure, learn what to expect post-surgery, and what the recovery period entails.

Knee replacement surgery in Boca Raton and Boynton Beach

The knee is the largest joint in the body, but it is also the most commonly injured one. A complex web of cartilage, tendons, bones, and muscles, the knees also bear the weight of the upper body and absorb shock during walking and running. Knee osteoarthritis is the most common reason why patients consider knee replacement surgery.

Knee replacement surgery is usually indicated for patients whose symptoms have become debilitating and limiting and no longer respond to medications. Knee deformities and pain while resting may also necessitate surgery.

Every year, over 790,000 knee replacement surgeries are performed in the U.S. The procedure follows four basic steps:

• Bone preparation, wherein the damaged cartilage is removed.
• Metal implants positioning, wherein metal parts are attached into the bone to replace the surface of the joint.
• Patella resurfacing, wherein a layer of the kneecap is removed and lined with a plastic dome. This step depends on the decision of the orthopedic surgeon.
• Spacer insertion, wherein a plastic spacer is inserted between the metal implants so that they can glide freely and smoothly.

Hip and knee replacement surgery

Here are five things to take note of when the patient needs to undergo both hip and knee replacement surgeries.

Arthritic pain may be referred pain

Pain that starts from the hips and spreads to the knee, on the same leg, may be referred pain. So, when a patient undergoes a hip joint replacement first, it could be easier for the doctors to determine how much pain the patient is really experiencing in the knee. 

If the patient continues to experience knee pain after the hip procedure, this will have little impact on the recovery process of the hips. But if the patient has the knee surgery first and then experiences hip pain, it will be harder to go through the knee rehabilitation. 

Hip replacement post-operation is less painful 

According to Harvard Health, recovering from a hip replacement surgery is generally a lot less painful. A knee replacement surgery, on the other hand, will take six months to a year before the patient may feel things going slowly back to normal.

This is because the knee operation involves removing tissues and ligaments as well as replacing bones with prosthetics. During the procedure, the ligaments may be shortened if they are damaged by the disease, so the patient will need more time to heal. There is also much soft tissue around the knees that will need more time to regain flexibility than the soft tissue around the hips.  

Simultaneous joint replacement surgeries aren’t ideal for many patients

Those over 80 years of age or patients with heart and lung problems, even if they are below 80 years old, are not ideal candidates for simultaneous joint replacement surgeries. They might have an increased risk of a blood clot or a heart attack, so they are not advised to have bilateral surgery of the hips and the knees. This complication is rare, but it can happen. 

But there are some advantages to undergoing bilateral surgery of the hips and the knees, such as: 

• The patient will have to be under anesthesia just once.
• There is less time spent in the operating room and in the hospital for the patient, therefore cutting other incidental expenses during hospitalization.
• Major mechanical malfunctions may be avoided during surgery. 
• There is a lowered risk for revision surgery caused by prosthetic infections.
• There’s a reduced incidence of orthopedic complications.

The patient has to work harder during rehabilitation

Patients getting a bilateral surgery will need to be thoroughly committed to rehabilitation. Depending on the case, it might take six to 10 weeks of work for the rehabilitation to show progress. Patients who are undergoing unilateral surgeries, or one surgery after the other, will have to be under two different rehabilitation programs.

There are extra considerations for multiple joint surgeries

The patients’ age, weight, tolerance for pain, and overall medical health — such as whether they have conditions like heart disease or diabetes — are just some of the extra considerations when deciding multiple joint surgeries. As much as possible, the patient should discuss the options carefully with their doctor before going ahead with a procedure. While joint replacement surgery has helped many patients, going through it is still a personal decision. 

Whether a patient chooses to have the surgeries together or one after the other, the most important thing is to choose an excellent orthopedic surgeon, like our experienced doctors at Orthopaedic Surgery Associates. The patient might also have to enlist the help of a good therapist who can help during rehabilitation.

Learn more about Orthopaedic Surgery Associates

Orthopaedic Surgery Associates has helped many athletes and orthopedic patients improve their health and quality of life throughout the years. We have qualified specialists and state-of-the-art technology to treat your condition – so you are in good hands.

If you are experiencing discomfort or pain in the hips and knees, consult our specialists to get a thorough assessment and accurate diagnosis of your condition. Depending on the findings of our physicians, you might benefit from hip or knee replacement surgeries in any of our locations:

• Knee replacement Boynton Beach
• Knee replacement Boca Raton
• Hip replacement Boynton Beach
• Hip replacement Boca Raton
• Shoulder replacement Boca raton
• Should Boynton Beach

You can also request an appointment online, contact us, or call us at (561) 395-5733.

The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.