If something went wrong, you could just replace the defective part. Well, in some cases, it's possible. When joints are damaged by diseases like arthritis, movement can become difficult and painful.
Surgeons can replace damaged joints, improving mobility for many patients.
The hip and knee joints are most susceptible to arthritis and other degenerative bone diseases, and these are the joints most often replaced. Although total joint replacement surgery is usually most appropriate for individuals over age 55, the procedure is becoming more common in people of all ages. More than 500 thousand people a year, including athletes, have improved mobility because of joint replacement. The surgery involves removing the diseased or damaged natural joint and replacing it with artificial joints made of metal or metal and plastic. Orthopaedic surgeons at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas say there have been significant advances in joint replacement technology in the last decade.