What is hip or knee arthritis?

In order for the joints of our body to function properly without difficulty in their movement, they are covered by articular cartilage. Articular cartilage is the material (tissue) that covers the surfaces of the joints and allows their smooth and pain-free movement. With age and usually after 65, the articular cartilage wears out and is slowly destroyed. The destruction results in difficulty in movement and as time passes the problem grows.

What is the cause that is created

Arthritis of the hip and knee is a multifactorial condition. This means that there are many factors that aggravate it, but three are the main causes

A) Gender: Undoubtedly and according to studies, 8 out of 10 who are taken to the surgery for arthritis are women.

B) Heredity: It is a factor that plays an important role in the appearance of arthritis.

C) Weight: Obese patients are more likely to develop hip or knee arthritis. This happens not only because the joints receive a greater load, but because obesity is part of a syndrome called “metabolic syndrome” and affects the function of the articular cartilage in both the feet and hands.

There is a way to stop the deterioration

Unfortunately there are no drugs that can stop the destruction of articular cartilage. When arthritis starts in the hip or knee it will get worse over time.

When should I have surgery?

My doctor said I should have surgery and a replacement (total hip or knee replacement). When is the right time? When the arthritis starts to create a problem in the patient’s daily activity, this is the right time to have surgery. The delay will affect his daily activities and he will find his quality of life deteriorating day by day. Many times patients report that ‘I am new’ to the operation, but with the delay all they will achieve is a miserable everyday life. It is certain that with today’s techniques, the chances of a repeat operation are very small and it is certainly not the case that they used to say that in 10 years I will need to have another operation.

What exactly will be done in the operation and why robotic

With the operation, the hip or knee joint is replaced with a new joint made of metal (titanium) and plastic, which lasts for the rest of life. Success is based on precise and millimeter-accurate placement of the materials in the damaged joint. In previous decades, the accuracy of material placement was based on the experience of the surgeon. But in the last 10 years, technology has enabled us to place materials with the precision of a robotic tool of MAKO. The patient undergoes a CT scan which you send to the American Society, which sends back the image of the joint along with the prosthesis. This image is transferred to the robot in the operating room and the orthopedist performs the operation, as calculated from the specific image. If the orthopedist escapes by even half a millimeter, the operation of the robot stops.

The technique of total arthroplasty with MAKO technology has dramatically improved the issues that existed in the past. The patient with this technique gets up the same day, walks immediately and leaves the hospital either the same day or the next day. In some cases of patients, both joints, i.e. both hips or knees, can be done at the same time.

Complications may occur

Complications may occur at a rate of 1-2%, but even in this case they are treatable without particular problems.

In conclusion, total hip and knee replacements are the greatest medical breakthrough of the 20th century, according to Professor Ian Learmont of Bristol. The reason is that after the operation the patients become completely healthy and fully return to their normal activities. They can drive, have sports activities and in a few months after the operation they forget that they have been operated.