Hip and knee joint replacement surgery

At Fortius Clinic, our internationally recognized orthopaedic consultants tailor every procedure to your unique anatomy, activity levels, and lifestyle goals:

• Total hip replacement: Replacing both the damaged ball (femoral head) and socket (acetabulum) with durable artificial components (prostheses) made of ceramic, metal, or specialised polyethylene.
• Total knee replacement: Resurfacing the damaged ends of the thigh bone (femur) and shin bone (tibia), and occasionally the undersurface of the kneecap (patella), with precision-fitted metal and plastic implants.
• Partial joint replacement (Unicondylar knee or Hip hemiarthroplasty): Preserving healthy bone, ligaments, and cartilage by replacing only the damaged compartment of the joint.
• Revision joint replacement: Specialised surgery to replace worn, loose, or infected previous joint implants.

Our orthopaedic surgeons utilise advanced surgical techniques designed to minimise tissue trauma, accelerate recovery, and optimize long-term joint function:

• Robotic-assisted surgery: Using state-of-the-art robotic technology and 3D preoperative modeling to plan and execute bone cuts with sub-millimeter precision, maximising implant alignment and longevity.
• Minimally invasive approaches: Techniques (such as the direct anterior approach for hip replacement) that spare surrounding muscles and tendons, resulting in less post-operative pain and faster early rehabilitation.
• Custom and patient-specific implants: Utilising 3D imaging to craft custom instrumentation and implants tailored precisely to your individual joint geometry.
• Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols: Advanced multi-modal pain management and early mobilisation strategies that allow many patients to begin walking on the day of surgery and reduce hospital stay duration.

Joint replacement surgery is performed in a specialist orthopaedic theater under general anaesthetic or spinal anaesthetic (with sedation).

1. Pre-operative assessment: Comprehensive blood tests, ECG, and detailed imaging (X-rays or CT scans) are completed prior to admission to ensure you are fully prepared for surgery.
2. Surgical execution: Your consultant accesses the joint through a tailored incision, removes damaged cartilage and bone, prepares the bone surfaces, and securely fixes the joint components in place.
3. Closure and recovery: The incision is closed with specialised sutures or clips and dressed with sterile waterproof dressings. The procedure typically takes between 1 to 2 hours.
4. Hospital stay: Most patients stay in hospital for 1 to 3 days, though selected suitable candidates may be eligible for day-case joint replacement.

You will not feel any pain during the operation due to the anaesthetic. Following surgery, some swelling, bruising, and discomfort around the joint are expected.

Our specialised ERAS protocols utilise multi-modal pain management, combining targeted local nerve blocks, long-acting local anaesthetics, and oral medications, to keep post-operative pain controlled, enabling you to stand and walk comfortably shortly after your procedure.

Hip and knee joint replacements are safe, highly successful procedures. However, as with any major orthopaedic surgery, potential risks include:

• Infection: Deep joint infection is rare (less than 1 in 100 cases) but may require antibiotic therapy or further surgery.
• Blood clots (DVT/PE): Prevented using blood-thinning medications, compression stockings, and early mobilisation.
• Joint dislocation: More relevant to hip replacements; managed by following specific post-operative precautions provided by your physiotherapist.
• Leg length inequality: Minor differences in leg length following hip replacement, though precise pre-operative planning minimizes this risk.
• Implant wear or loosening: Modern joint implants are designed to last 15 to 25 years or more, though revision surgery may eventually be required over time.
• Nerve or vessel injury: Rare localised numbness or weakness around the surgical site.

Your consultant will discuss all potential risks with you in detail during your initial consultation.