Joint Replacement
Many older people live with joints that have been damaged by arthritis and other diseases or injuries. Even with medications, living with a worn or injured hip or knee can be painful and limiting. For those patients who no longer enjoy a good quality of life, joint replacement surgery may be the best treatment. Patients considering this surgery may be referred to one of the orthopedic surgeons affiliated with the program.
In most cases, the benefits of joint replacement include elimination or reduction of pain, greater mobility and the ability to perform daily tasks in comfort. Surgeons affiliated with the Institute also specialize in revision procedures to replace an existing prosthesis.
All surgery is done in NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital's state-of-the-art operating room suite. The rehabilitation therapy that is a necessary part of the joint replacement process begins immediately following surgery. It may then continue in the Hospital's inpatient rehabilitation unit, at a long-term care center, in an outpatient physical therapy center, in the patient's home or in some combination of these venues.
Prior to the surgery, patients undergoing joint replacement receive extensive education and preparation so that they know what to expect and can plan their recovery.