Over the years, prosthetics and their methods of application have improved and options other than cemented fixation have been developed to give greater flexibility and durability of the artificial joint. This transformed the lives of countless people, for whom painkillers and physiotherapy were the only – sometimes inadequate – treatments for joint pain.
Today there are 19 companies in America that help bring the miracle of artificial joints to people who need them and it is even possible to have a prosthetic tailored specifically to the individual patient.
London boasts a large population of private surgeons and health care consultants, so today’s patient can choose their doctor from among Britain’s finest without having to wait on an NHS list.
If you’re in pain, you’ve lost mobility and you don’t want to wait for your surgery, you do have the option to seek independent advice.
For expert help from one of London’s most prestigious orthopaedic surgeons, people with arthritis or sports injuries can turn to Mr John Hollingdale for premier private health care. He has specialised in hip and knee replacements for the last 20 years and completes more than 250 knee replacements every year.
Mr Hollingdale uses an artificial joint called NextGen that is made of a combination of metal alloy and plastic. Some of the prosthetics have a porous coating that eliminates the need for bone cement because it allows your own bone to fuse with the device during the healing process so that it becomes integrated into your body. This innovative design makes it more hard wearing so there’s less risk of dislocation. It is hoped that these type of knee replacements will last longer than the cemented variety. Scientists are working hard to make semi-permanent knee and hip prosthetics a reality.
Total knee replacement is a surgery to replace all three parts of the knee. These are:
The Medial Compartment – This is the inside of the knee, the lateral compartment (the outside of the knee) and the patellofemoral compartment (in front of the knee).
If you have osteoarthritis of the knee, having a total knee replacement may provide you with better long-term pain relief compared with a partial knee replacement.