Arthritis is a common condition that can cause joint pain, stiffness, swelling, redness and decreased range of motion. Often, it can be treated with non-surgical techniques and lifestyle changes, such as eating a well-balanced diet, getting to and maintaining a healthy weight, and engaging in regular exercise. But in some cases, surgery is the only hope for successfully managing arthritis and getting you back to normal.
Types of surgery to treat arthritis
There are a few different types of joint surgery used to treat osteoarthritis. They include:
- Arthroscopy (“scoping” the joint)
- Joint resurfacing
- Osteotomy (cutting bones to make them line up better)
- Synovectomy (“cleaning up” the joint lining)
- Joint fusion (making it so the joint doesn’t move at all to decrease pain)
- Total joint replacement (TJR)
- Minimally invasive TJR
- Joint revision (redoing or changing a joint replacement)
Are you a good candidate for joint surgery?
Joint surgery can be quite successful at treating arthritis, but it’s not for everyone. Before recommending surgery, your doctor will talk with you about your symptoms and history, perform a physical exam, and order laboratory tests with the goal of learning as much as possible about the severity of your arthritis and how it is affecting your life.
As total joint replacements have soared in popularity, more studies have looked at the outcomes of the surgery. One study published in 2013 in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism concluded that there are some factors that were more likely to lead to better surgical outcomes. Of the people studied, a better outcome could be expected if:
- The joint pain is severe before surgery
- Only one joint is painful
- The patient is otherwise healthy
- The pain is caused by osteoarthritis rather than inflammatory types of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis
In that study, people who reported the most pain and least mobility before surgery typically reported the greatest overall improvement after surgery. Those who had other significant health problems experienced the least improvement.
So while surgery can be successful for many people, it’s more likely to be successful if you’re otherwise healthy. You and your doctor can talk about whether or not you’re a good candidate for joint replacement or other surgical procedures and, if you’re not, what you might be able to do in order to improve your chances for a successful surgery in the future.
Expected results
If you and your doctor decide to move forward with surgery, what can you expect from recovery and beyond?
First of all, understand that there are no guarantees that surgery will be successful. However, Beaumont orthopedic specialists are experts in joint replacement surgery and other joint procedures, and their experience has taught them when surgery is most likely to be a success. We put our combined knowledge and expertise to work for our patients to select those who we believe will experience significant benefit from surgery.
- If the surgery is successful, you should, after recovery, experience a near total reduction in your arthritis pain. The success rate of total joint replacement surgery in younger patients is between 90 and 95 percent.
- The results tend to be long lasting. An implant can last between 15 and 25 years.
- After the recovery period, you should be able to resume doing most of the things you love to do.
Preparing for joint surgery
One of the most important things for you to do before having a major elective surgery like joint surgery is to get your health under control. If you have uncontrolled medical conditions, such as heart disease, that lowers your chances of a successful surgery. If you smoke, you should stop smoking before surgery. If you’re significantly overweight, you may want to lose weight before surgery. Improving your diet and ensuring you’re eating healthy, well-balanced meals full of nutrients will go a long way toward helping you prepare for a successful surgery.
When planning for surgery, talk to your doctor about the medications and supplements you take and whether or not you can continue taking them prior to surgery and during recovery. Some medications should not be taken right before surgery. For example, certain medications and supplements cause blood to be thinner and you will be asked to stop them even up to a week or two before surgery.
If you have any concerns about surgery or recovery, talk with your doctor. He or she will be able to explain the risks and potential benefits, and together you can decide whether surgery is the best treatment for you right now.
Recovering from joint surgery
Recovering from joint surgery is not a quick or easy process; however, there have been advances in joint replacement surgery, some of which were pioneered at Beaumont, that speed recovery and make it less painful than it used to be. Regardless of which type of surgery you have and which joint you have worked on, you will likely have to rest, participate in physical therapy, and limit your activity. You might need to use assistive devices to help you get around while you’re healing. You also might work with an occupational therapist who can help you figure out how to maneuver around the house and do daily activities while protecting your affected joints.
Recovery will require you to follow your treatment plan to the letter. If you don’t follow your doctor’s instructions for recovery, you may not experience the benefits of surgery and could hurt yourself.
What your recovery timeline might look like for knee or hip surgery
The recovery process starts right away after surgery. Here are some things you can expect.
- You should be able to stand and move around the same day or the day following surgery.
- You should be walking with support before you leave the hospital.
- You might need a cane or a walker for the first 2 to 6 weeks.
- You will likely experience swelling, and you can help reduce it with ice therapy.
- You might have bruising and discoloration around the incision.
- You could be back to your normal activities within 4 weeks (short-term recovery), but it could take as long as six months or even a year for a complete recovery (long-term recovery), depending on how extensive the surgical repair was.
The operation itself is just the first step of recovery. After the procedure, you will have to take medication, protect your joints, rest, exercise, attend physical therapy and follow all post-operative instructions carefully. Before you decide upon surgery, talk with your doctor about what the recovery period will look like and what you will be expected to do and not do. Then evaluate whether you can realistically follow those instructions. If it’s not reasonable for you to follow through with post-operative instructions, surgery might not be the right option for you at this time.
Contact us
At Beaumont, we continue to pursue new and innovative orthopedics, offering a full range of advanced treatments for patients of all ages with all types of arthritis. We are committed to partnering with you to determine the best possible solution for your situation.
Call us at 800-633-7377 to make an appointment, or request an appointment online.