Orthopedic Implants And Joint Replacement- What Patients Need To Know

Osteoarthritis is one of the common bone-related health issues plaguing a large segment of the population these days. Although the problem is not life-threatening, it can lower the quality of life to a significant extent due to chronic pain and loss of mobility. Fortunately, joint replacement has emerged as an effective medical technique for addressing the problem that plagues joints like knees, hips, and shoulders. 

The procedure involves the replacement of the bone joint with an orthopedic implant crafted out of metal or plastic. It is hard to imagine a foreign object being left inside your body, so your concerns as a patient are genuine. However, the procedures are safe and have a high success rate, which means that you can opt for one without apprehensions. If you still have doubts, here are the facts that would help you clear them.

Preparation is crucial

Since the joint replacement is major surgery, it should be your last resort when medicine and physiotherapy do not seem to work. If your doctor is sure that you need it, they will recommend an expert. Look for someone with the right expertise and experience. Preoperative preparation with medical consultations and physical evaluations gets you on the right track. It often begins a month before the surgery, so you have plenty of time to ask questions and clarify doubts with your specialist. It is important to know that you will need a general, spinal, or epidural anesthetic for the procedure.

Know your implants too

Apart from understanding the procedure itself, you need to know all about the orthopedic implant that will be a part of your body after the surgery. These products are made of medical-grade materials and covered with medical grade coatings to make them safe enough to remain inside the body for the long term. It makes sense to learn about the implant, with facts such as the manufacturing process, so that you can be sure about its quality and safety. Do not hesitate to ask these facts from the provider because it is the right of the patient to go the extra mile with safety.

Get clear expectations on the recovery period

Before you go ahead with the operation, you would want to have clear expectations on the recovery period. Typically, patients need to stay in the hospital for 1-3 days, though the total recovery period takes up to 3 months in most people. You will have to get physiotherapy to restore movement in the joint. Further, there are some precautions that you will need to take during this period. As you check the information with the doctor, do ask about the possible risks and complications and how they would be addressed, in case you have them.

Awareness breeds confidence when it comes to a complex medical procedure like a joint replacement. Having a prosthetic implant inside your body may sound like a hard fact to digest. But high success rates make the procedure reliable enough, more so because it has the potential to help you live better.