HIP JOINT REPLACEMENT

The hip joint is a ball- and- socket joint. The head of the femur (thigh bone) forms the ball and the acetabulum portion of the pelvic bone forms the socket. In Total hip replacement, the diseased head and neck of the femur and acetabulum are removed and replaced by artificial components. The artificial components are made of metal (a highly polished, non reactive, alloy), plastic (high density polyethylene) or ceramics. The components are fixed to the parent bone with bone cement in the cemented variety and without bone cement in the uncemented variety. Hip joint replacement is performed for a variety of indications, the chief among them being osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, sequelae of septic arthritis, congenital hip dislocation, Perthe’s disease etc.

TOTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT

Total knee replacement is the surface replacement of the diseased surfaces of the knee joint. The knee joint is formed by the distal end of the femur (thigh bone), the proximal end of the tibia (leg bone) and the patella (knee cap). The joint cartilage is damaged in a variety of conditions, the chief among them being osteoarthritis (wear- and- tear of the joint), rheumatoid arthritis, post- traumatic arthritis etc. In total knee replacement the diseased surface of the joint is replaced by a metal component for the femur and a metal backed plastic for the tibia. The components are fixed to the parent bone with bone cement.

TOTAL SHOULDER REPLACEMENT

The shoulder joint is a non weight- bearing joint and so the incidence of degenerative arthritis is negligible. The indications for a total shoulder replacement are rheumatoid arthritis, post - traumatic arthritis, sequelae of septic arthritis etc. The head of the humerus (arm bone) is replaced by a metal component and the glenoid (part of the shoulder blade which forms the socket) is replaced by metal- backed plastic.