Everything Related to Orthopedics
J. Williams
This user hasn't shared any profile information
Posts by J. Williams
Younger Patients Receiving Joints
0380 days
It’s no surprise that as the baby boomer generation ages, the joint replacement market thrives. An emerging trend in joint replacement however, is the amount of younger patients going under the knife. Fifteen or twenty years ago, knee or hip replacement surgery was reserved for patients over the age of 65, most of who suffer from arthritis. Now, patients much younger than 65 are heading in to their doctor’s office for a consultation on having joint replacement surgery.
There isn’t one factor necessarily that is contributing to this trend, rather a unique combination of them. There is no doubt that materials used in joint replacement have been vastly improved upon over the decades. The technology used by surgeons now is on a level never before seen in this field. There are some implants that developers are saying can last a patient up to 20 or even 30 years. With this improvement in technology, younger, more knowledgeable patients are turning up willing to have the surgery. Another contributing factor is obesity. The obesity rate in the United States is staggering and among other health issues, obesity wreaks havoc on a person’s joints.
The final factor in the increase of younger patients having joint surgery is an increase in activity levels. There are more people over the age of 50 that are staying active longer than ever before. More focus has been put on staying healthy, exercising and being active no matter what your age. While this can help shed extra pounds and increase overall health, the possibility for injury is also increased. All of these factors have been working together as a majority of our population ages giving a larger range of patients suffering the option to regain their lifestyle.
Uni vs. Total
0390 days
Many patients who suffer from arthritis most likely will eventually face joint replacement in the affected areas. What these patients may not realize about their joint replacement is the options. While your surgeon will ultimately decide what’s best for your situation, it is always good to be armed with as much knowledge as possible. When it comes to arthritis in the knees, there are 2 different options for surgery – partial knee replacement and total knee replacement.
If the arthritis in your knee has only affected the inner portion, or “medial side”, then partial knee replacement may be an option for you. Partial knee replacement is also commonly called 
“unicompartmental” or “UNI” surgery since it only replaces one compartment of the knee. One limitation that many patients face when it comes to partial knee replacement is that the outer portion of the knee or “lateral side” must still have healthy cartilage. Most times, partial knee replacement is performed on younger patients in order to postpone total knee replacement. Partial knee replacement is considered a lot less invasive than total replacement surgery.
The other option for knee replacement surgery is the total knee replacement. This surgery is performed on patients who entire knee joint has been affected by arthritis. In this type of surgery, every part of the 
knee is replaced with prosthetic components. Many patients who undergo total knee replacement surgery do not have to have their patella replaced as this part of the knee often stays intact. Patella replacement however, is an option for patients who need the extra stability. While total knee replacement is an invasive surgery with a long recovery, it can truly improve the quality of life for someone suffering from the pain of arthritis.
