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Worn or damaged hip
joints can cause severe pain and loss of motion. Common causes include
osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fractures and a reduced blood
supply to the femoral head.
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Hip Resurfacing (HR)
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Hip replacement surgery is
highly invasive and can require a lengthy recovery time. Total hip
replacement is essential in some cases but a less invasive procedure
known as Hip Resurfacing is often appropriate for physiologically
younger patients. In Hip Resurfacing only the damaged surface of
the femoral head is removed, which ensures more of the healthy bone
remains and a smaller implant is necessary.
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Total Hip Replacement (THR)
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During this surgery,
the acetabulum (the socket) and the femoral head (the rounded end of
the thigh-bone) are replaced with implants made from metal, plastic or
ceramics. These implants are designed to mimic as closely as possible
the body’s natural hip motion.
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The knee joint is made up of
bones, soft tissues and cartilage (which allows the bones to glide
freely on each other). Knee replacement surgery can become
necessary when the knee is damaged by diseases such as osteoarthritis
and rheumatoid arthritis, where the knee has been injured or where
there is a deformity of the joint. |
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Uni-condylar
(Unicompartmental) Knee Replacement (UKR)
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Osteoarthritis
often only occurs in one section of the knee and in this case it may be
beneficial to the patient to have a unicompartmental knee replacement.
This only replaces the damaged side of the knee (one of the condyles)
which means that the surgical incision can be smaller and less healthy
bone is removed. This therefore promotes a quicker recovery time,
reduced risk of complications and can result in a shorter stay in
hospital.
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For more information on any of these procedures please consult your medical practitioner.
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