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A joint replacement surgeon specializes in arthroplasty and works with joints prone to disease and injury. They may prescribe non-surgical treatments and perform other joint surgeries, and use prosthetics made of strong materials to replace dysfunctional joints. Patients can find a joint replacement surgeon through their primary care physician.
Generally, a joint replacement surgeon is an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in joint replacement surgery or arthroplasty. Typically, this surgeon works with the types of joints that are prone to disease and injury, such as the knee, hip, and elbow joints. Although he specializes in arthroplasty, a joint replacement surgeon will often prescribe other types of treatment options for joint pain and dysfunctional joints. He can also perform other types of joint and orthopedic surgeries, such as osteotomy. When a patient experiences joint pain that his primary physician cannot help him manage, he refers him to a joint replacement surgeon.
Joint replacement surgery is a type of orthopedic surgery, and an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in repairing and replacing joints is often called a joint replacement surgeon. Some of the most common joints that a replacement surgeon works with are the knee, elbow, and hip joints. These joints are often damaged due to injuries or arthritis.
During arthroplasty, the joint replacement surgeon will repair or replace the dysfunctional joint. If the patient needs their joint replaced by arthroplasty, the surgeon will usually insert a prosthesis made of a strong material. A prosthetic joint for a knee or hip joint is usually made of plastic or metal, and a prosthetic joint for a hand is usually made of a more flexible silicone rubber. Sometimes the prosthetic joint is cast or cemented into the patient’s bone, especially in older, less active patients. Surgeons often leave the prosthetic joint cementless for younger, more active patients to allow their bones to grow into the prosthetic joint.
Depending on the diagnosis, a joint replacement surgeon may not perform arthroplasty. He may prescribe other treatment and management options. Sometimes a surgeon will prescribe pain medications, vitamins and other supplements, and physical therapy. Canes and walking aids are sometimes considered better choices than surgery. Also, for some patients, other surgical options may be more appropriate, such as an osteotomy, which is used to improve the alignment of a joint and bones.
A patient can find a joint replacement surgeon in the same way they would find other types of medical and surgical specialists. Typically, a patient will see their primary care physician when experiencing joint pain. Your doctor will evaluate the pain and various methods of treatment. This usually consists of taking x-rays and trying different treatment options such as pain relievers and physical therapy, but these options may be ineffective depending on the joint damage. When this is the case, the doctor will refer the patient to an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in joints.
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