Joint Replacement Surgery Dallas & Frisco, TX
Knee, Shoulder, Ankle, and Hip Replacement Surgeons in Frisco and Dallas, TX
Joint Replacement Specialist in Dallas, Frisco, and Wylie TX
If you suffer chronic pain from hip arthritis, damaged cartilage, or other symptoms, it may be time to consider total joint replacement surgery. Although joint replacement surgery is usually reserved as a last resort, there’s only so much your primary care doctor can do for your pain. Once enough damage has been done to the joint, you’ll want to work with a surgical team with considerable experience in various surgical techniques for replacing joints.
When you work with the Dallas orthopedic specialists at SPORT Orthopedics + Physical Therapy, you work with some of the best in the business when it comes to ankle, shoulder, hip and knee replacements. Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons are exceptionally skilled at what they do, so they’ll have you back on your feet and back in the game in no time. To schedule an appointment with one of our highly skilled surgeons, please call our office at 469-200-2832 or schedule online today.
What Is Joint Replacement?
Joints are made by the end points of two or more bones connected by tissue, called cartilage. The healthy cartilage serves as the protective cushion between these bones and allows low friction movement. However, when the cartilage wears down or becomes damaged, the tissues around the entire joint become inflamed, which can cause pain. Over time, your cartilage begins to wear away, leaving the rough edges of your bones to rub against one another as the joint moves. This typically leads to a more severe pain.
Joint replacement is a surgical procedure designed to remove and replace an arthritic or damaged joint with an artificial joint. This is called prostheses. Joint replacement surgery is usually considered only after other conservative treatments have failed to relieve pain and disability.
When a patient has a partially damaged joint, orthopaedic surgeons can potentially repair just the damaged parts through a minimally invasive orthopaedic surgery like arthroscopy. But, when a patient presents with a joint that is entirely damaged, the orthopaedic surgeon must complete a total joint replacement. Total joint replacement surgery requires removing all of the diseased or damaged parts and replacing them with artificial parts.
Joint replacement has become commonplace with more than 285,000 primary total hip replacements and more than 600,000 total knee replacement surgeries performed in the United States annually. To schedule an appointment with an experienced orthopedic surgeon in Dallas, call our office at 469-200-2832.
Types of Joint Replacement Surgeries
At SPORT Orthopedics + Physical Therapy in Dallas and Frisco, our board-certified surgeons perform the following joint replacement procedures.
KNEE REPLACEMENT
A knee replacement surgery may be the best option for patients, if:
- The patient has severe arthritic damage to the knee joint
- The knee joint continues causing pain, even after the patient has tried more conservative treatments.
- Patient presents with a complex fracture or other knee injury
- The knee pain is severe and chronic.
The type of knee replacement a person will need depends on the specific condition of the knee joint, itself. Some patients will only need a partial knee replacement, while others will need a total knee replacement. In either situation, knee joint replacements have come a long way. Most patients will only need to stay in the hospital for a few days. This is a small price to pay for a normal, functioning knee replacement that allows the patient to live a more active lifestyle.
Our clinics also offer robotic knee replacement surgeries, which help surgeons with particularly complex cases.
TOTAL HIP REPLACEMENT
Total hip replacement is the second most common joint replacement procedure. It involves replacing the hip joint with a prosthetic implant.
Generally performed to relieve arthritis pain or to treat avascular necrosis, it can be performed as a total replacement or a hemi (half) replacement, or as a treatment option for a hip fracture. With a total hip arthroplasty, both the acetabulum and the femoral head is replaced, while a hemiarthroplasty generally only replaces the femoral head.
There are several approaches for performing a total hip replacement, including the traditional open posterior approach with a single large incision, or the minimally invasive anterior approach using one small incision in front of the thigh, the least invasive method (see below).
A total hip replacement may be the best option for patients, if the patient:
- experiences pain or aching in the hip joint.
- has a current hip replacement that feels unstable.
- experiences pain when he or she puts weight on the hip joint.
- can feel his or her bone rubbing against the other.
- fell or had an accident that damaged the existing hip replacement.
ANTERIOR HIP REPLACEMENT
Anterior approach hip replacement is a minimally invasive procedure that involves accessing and replacing the hip joint from a frontal incision as opposed to a more invasive lateral (side) or posterior (back) approach. Because the hip is replaced without detaching pelvic or femur muscles, the patient spends less time in the hospital and experiences less pain and a faster recovery.
Any patient experiencing hip pain that doesn’t respond to less invasive treatments, who is healthy enough to undergo surgery can receive a traditional hip replacement. But, the patient criteria for an anterior hip replacement is a little more stringent.
Those who wish to receive this type of total joint replacement cannot:
- be overly muscular or obese.
- have any type of implant or metal hardware from a previous surgery.
- have a wider pelvic region.
SHOULDER REPLACEMENT
Severe shoulder arthritis is not only painful, but also can restrict range of motion. When medication and lifestyle adjustments fail to treat the problem, surgical measures may be necessary.
Total shoulder replacement is performed to relieve arthritis pain and restore movement. With a shoulder replacement, all or part of the glenohumeral shoulder joint is replaced by a prosthetic implant. Keep in mind, however, that shoulder replacement is not always necessary. Sometimes, rotator cuff surgery can fix the problem.
Shoulder replacement surgery is an option for patients who suffer from shoulder joint dysfunction. Chronic shoulder pain is typically the result of osteoarthritis, avascular necrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, rotator cuff tear arthropathy, and in rare cases, from a severe fracture.
Shoulder replacement may be the best option for patients, if the patient:
- experiences severe, chronic shoulder pain.
- has a loss of motion in the shoulder.
- experiences weakness in the shoulder.
- cannot sleep due to shoulder pain.
- has tried over the counter medications, cortisone injections, and physical therapy with no relief.
- has undergone a previous arthroscopic shoulder surgery for rotator cuff or fracture repair that failed to relieve shoulder pain.
ANKLE REPLACEMENT
Ankle arthroplasty is a surgical procedure in which the damaged surfaces of the ankle joint are replaced with prosthetic components. It serves as an alternative to the conventional use of ankle fusion as a means of restoring range of motion in the ankle.
The best candidates for ankle replacement surgery are those who are healthy and have either no or minimal deformity, or malalignment of the ankle. Ankle replacements work best for those who are less active but not overweight.
What Is the Most Common Joint Replacement?
The two most common forms of joint replacement are knee replacement surgery and hip replacement surgery. Approximately 700,000 knee replacement operations take place each year, while only around 400,000 hip replacements occur. Other joints, such as the ankle and the shoulder, can also be surgically replaced.
Who Can Benefit from a Joint Replacement?
Those who struggle with chronic joint pain that interferes with their daily living tend to be great candidates for joint replacement. Working with a physical therapist and trying other treatment options may work for a while, but eventually the only option left is surgery. Typically, someone who is in good general health can benefit from a knee replacement or other surgery if they have not been able to relieve their chronic pain.
Is There an Age Limit for Joint Replacements?
The short answer is no one is too old, or too young. While having a total joint replacement is considered a major surgery that requires weeks of recovery, if someone has failed all conservative measures, deformity, or severe progressive form of arthritis like rheumatoid, there is no age restriction. As the population ages, so do the number of people that need joint replacements. Any person of any age who has chronic joint pain may benefit from a replacement surgery.
How to Prepare for a Joint Replacement
Prior to the procedure, your surgeon will go over how to prepare, as well as what to expect from the surgery. Before the surgery occurs, we recommend taking the following steps.
- If you are a smoker, stop smoking. Smoking can decrease the efficacy of your blood circulation, which can increase the risk of blood clots and infections.
- If you drink alcohol, refrain from doing so for at least 48 hours before surgery.
- Try to maintain a healthy weight and eat a balanced diet.
- Inform your doctor of any and all medications that you take. Some may interfere with the surgery or cause complications, so your doctor will tell you which ones you can and cannot take.
- Ask your surgeon if there are any specific exercises you can do before the surgery to strengthen the joint. They will pair you with a physical therapist for your recovery, but exercising beforehand is still a good idea.
How Long Does It Take to Recover from a Joint Replacement?
Patients should expect a recovery period of around three to six weeks, depending on the complexity of the surgery. For a full recovery, many patients need at least two to three months. Your surgeon will inform you of how long you should expect to be in recovery.
Joint Specialists in Dallas, TX
If you’re a victim of hip and knee pain or if you’re experiencing problems with your existing implant, you may be suffering from a joint problem. Our hip and knee sports medicine physicians can provide an expert opinion and work with you to come up with the best treatment plan for you, specifically.
Our Frisco and Dallas, TX orthopedic surgeons commonly diagnose the following joint injuries and conditions:
- arthritis, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and post traumatic arthritis
- avascular necrosis
- cartilage injuries
- degenerative joints
- dislocations and fractures
- frozen shoulder
- golfer’s elbow
- Hip pointer injuries
DALLAS JOINT REPLACEMENT SPECIALIST
If you have severe knee, hip, shoulder, or ankle pain from osteoarthritis that is interfering with your quality of life, visit SPORT to find out if you’re a candidate for joint replacement surgery. Dr. Berry will let you know what your options are and explain the recommended procedure in detail so you know what to expect. Call (469) 200-2832 today to make an appointment or you can request one online.
