2 Hospitals For Joint Replacement In Alabama

Joint Replacement (click for worldwide facilities list): Joint replacement is one of the most common and successful operations in modern orthopaedic surgery. It consists of replacing painful, arthritic, worn, abnormal development of the hip and knee, as well as other joints, from birth, or cancerous parts of the joint with artificial surfaces shaped in such a way as to allow joint movement.

Many hospitals have an interdisciplinary approach in the diagnosis and treatment of joint replacement patients with specialists in areas including rehabilitation medicine, pain management, radiology, and neurology. We also work with leading rheumatologists for postoperative support of rheumatologic conditions as well as non-operative management when indicated.

Joint replacement surgery may require complex joint revisions, as well as minimally invasive surgeries for knees, hips, shoulders and other joints.

Some conditions requiring joint replacement` include:
- Osteoarthritis: the most common type of arthritis, osteoarthritis is a joint disease that affects the cartilage, which breaks down and wears away. It may result in pain, stiffness and loss of flexibility. It is sometimes referred to as degenerative joint disease.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis: A chronic disease, mainly characterized by inflammation of the lining of the joint. It can lead to long-term joint damage, resulting in chronic pain, loss of function and motion and result in disability.
- Post-Traumatic Arthritis Arthritis that settles into joints due to acute or repetitive trauma. Post-traumatic arthritis can be found in younger as well as older patients who are active in sports and other physical activities. Fractures near a joint may also result in the development of arthritis.
- Avascular Necrosis: Avascular Necrosis is a disease resulting from the temporary or permanent loss of the blood supply to one or more bones. Without blood, the bone tissue dies and causes the bone to collapse. If the process involves the bones near a joint, it often leads to collapse of the joint surface.
- Congenital Birth Defects: Abnormal development of the hip and knee, as well as other joints, from birth. This condition may result in instability, limb shortening, and arthritis.

Joint Replacement Alternatives:
Depending on the disease, or the severity of the condition, there are several non-surgical or minimally invasive treatments options available such as arthroscopy, cartilage cell transplantation, medications (holistic and traditional), osteodonics, braces, topical treatments, and various therapies.

http://www.jointreplacementcenternyc.com/OurMission.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replacement_joint
http://www.jointreplacement.com/DePuy/index.html