Introduction

Joint replacement surgery removes damaged or diseased parts of a joint and replaces them with new, man-made parts.
Replacing a joint can reduce pain and help you move and feel better. Hips and knees are replaced most often. Other joints that can be replaced include the shoulders, fingers, ankles, and elbows.
Joint replacement surgery removes damaged or diseased parts of a joint and replaces them with new, man-made parts.
The hip joint is made up of a ball-and-socket. The socket is made of bone and cartilage, and the ball is the top of the thighbone, also known as the femoral head.
Hip replacement surgery is an operation used to replace the damaged ball-and-socket with new and durable artificial synthetic parts that mimic the ball-and-socket.
Sometimes, either the socket of the hip or the thighbone is injured or becomes diseased. This can result in pain, trouble with walking, or difficulty with everyday tasks. You may have already tried pain relief methods such as medications, physical therapy, supports, or braces. If the pain doesn’t subside, your doctor may recommend hip replacement surgery.
Normal joints have "articular cartilage," and are coated with synovial fluid which allows them to move smoothly. When this cartilage erodes or is damaged due to disease, trauma, or age, or the fluid is reduced, joints become stiff and painful. This condition with symptoms such as pain and stiffness, is called arthritis.
Your doctor will first suggest non-surgical treatments to reduce pain and help you move better, often with the use of walking aids, exercise, or medications. If these do not work, the joint may be too compromised to be resolved with any other treatment, and surgery becomes necessary.
In joint replacement, abnormal bone and lining structures are surgically removed and replaced with new parts constructed of metal, plastic or carbon-coated implants. These new parts restore mobility to the joints, and are usually painless.

Types of Joint Replacement Surgery

The most common joint surgeries are performed on hips and knees. However, replacement surgery can be and is conducted on other joints as well
Hip Replacement Hip replacement can be total or hemi (half). A total hip replacement addresses both the acetabulum and the femoral head. Hemiarthroplasty only replaces the femoral head.
Knee Replacement The knee is the largest and most complex joint connecting major limbs and bearing the total weight of the body. It is susceptible to multiple injuries and ailments. Knee surgery options depend on the portion that needs to be treated – from a torn ACL, to partial or total knee replacement, to microfracture surgery.
Shoulder Replacement Shoulder joint replacements include the deltopectoral approach to save the deltoid. And the transdeltoid approach, at the glenoid. Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement is an option in severe cases.
Elbow Replacement The elbow bones are replaced with an artificial joint made from implants that attach to the bones in the arm. A metal and plastic hinge joins the implants together.
Wrist Joint Replacement (Wrist Arthroplasty) In wrist joint replacement surgery, the damaged parts of the wrist bones are removed and replaced with artificial components.
Ankle Replacement Total Ankle Arthroplasty (TAA) is a surgical procedure used by orthopedic foot and ankle specialist surgeons to treat ankles affected by severe arthritis.
Finger Replacement A finger joint (PIP) and knuckle joint (MP) replacement involves removal of the damaged joint and replacement with an artificial implant. This replicates normal joint function. The specific goals are to relieve pain, restore joint stability and mobility.
Total Joint Replacement TJR is an orthopedic procedure in which an arthritic or dysfunctional joint surface, usually in hip or knee, is replaced with a prosthesis. Joint replacement is an option when severe pain or dysfunction fails to respond to less-invasive therapies.