Everything you need to know about prostheses in joints

Prosthetic surgery is the solution for a damaged and irreparable joint, mainly due to wear (osteoarthritis) but also traumatic injuries (subcapital fractures of the elderly). It is a surgery with excellent results, particularly in the hip and, therefore, is the most used surgical technique in this joint.

What to take into account after a prosthetic implant

After implantation of a prosthesis by the Traumatology specialist, the patient's age, bone quality and expectations must be considered. It is a surgical technique that does not repair the damaged joint , but replaces it with a new one. This means that it is a non-return surgery and, if something goes wrong, it can not be reversed.

Complications are rare, but dramatic when they present: infection, instability and early loosening, which will lead to revision surgeries, with worse results than the initial surgery.

Regarding the points cited above, age, bone quality and expectations:• The patient 's age is important because the prostheses suffer wear over time and this leads to loosening. Therefore, the indication in young patients should be very cautious.• Bone quality will determine the type of fixation of the prosthesis to the bone and therefore it is important to evaluate it, to determine which model is suitable for each patient.• Expectations must be realistic. With a prosthesis you can make low-impact sport, but the more you sport, the more wear and more likely you'll need a review of the implants.

Most common prostheses: knee and hip

Currently the knee is the joint that suffers more prosthetic spare parts, followed at a short distance from the hip. The hip joint is more deaf and the patients better tolerate osteoarthritis until later stages. However, the increase in sports practice and the prolongation of sports life are taking younger and younger patients in need of a hip prosthesis.

Convenience of a prosthetic replacement

A prosthetic replacement is not always necessary, but the younger the patient is at the time of prosthetic surgery, the more likely it is that he will need a replacement. The increase in the life expectancy of the population is also leading to the need for spare parts at more advanced ages.