Cemented or Uncemented Artificial Joints
Before surgery, the surgeon will decide whether to use
cemented or uncemented joints
based on your age and how your X-rays look. Or the
surgeon may decide at the time of surgery, when he or she opens up the joint
and can see how the bone looks. One type is not clearly better than the other.
Doctors may be more likely to use uncemented joints in younger people whose
bone is in good condition and likely to make a strong bond with the replacement
component. They may use cemented joints in older people or those whose bone is
weaker and less likely to make a strong bond with the replacement
components.
Cemented joints form an immediate, strong bond to the bone but often loosen after 10 to 20 years. A cemented bond is strongest immediately after surgery and gets weaker over time. In contrast, uncemented joints form a bond that may be weaker at first but may form a strong permanent bond as the bone fills in the porous coating. After a strong bond has developed between the bone and the replacement components, uncemented joints are less likely to weaken or loosen over time. Most loosening that can be seen on an X-ray doesn't cause symptoms and is not a problem.
The pain of arthritis makes it tough for many people to get a good night’s sleep. Worse yet, tossing and turning at night can actually increase the perception of pain. “There’s a reciprocal relationship between pain and poor sleep. The poorer people sleep, the more pain they tend to be in,” says Kevin Fontaine, PhD, assistant professor of rheumatology at Johns Hopkins University. “If people with arthritis can improve the quality of their sleep, they can usually reduce their day-to-day pain.” Here...
Read the Arthritis Pain and Sleep article > >
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
