Joint Replacement for RA: What to Know
Hide Video Transcript
Video Transcript
Charles Claps, DO: When a patient first comes to see me who has pain from arthritis, usually we start with treating them conservatively with injections, anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, bracing. When those modes of treatment have failed, and the patient states that their pain is now so bad that it's affecting their quality of life, then we start talking about surgery.
Arthritis, caused by rheumatoid arthritis, is a degradation of the cartilage, which is the cushioning in between the bones that make up the joint. But also what it can do to the joint is damage the ligaments, so you can get instability in the joint, which further damages the knee or the hip and also causes more pain.
Joint replacement is essentially a resurfacing procedure. It's removal of arthritis, which is damaged cartilage, and then replacement with metal and plastic parts. Rheumatoid arthritis patients have an increased risk of complication following surgery, so they have an increased risk for infection, they have increased risk for wound complications following the surgery. So those are just risks that patients need to be aware of before they proceed with joint replacement surgery.
For patients with rheumatoid arthritis, joint replacement is certainly an excellent option, especially if your quality of life is being affected by the destruction of your joint. And I think if a patient is having those types of symptoms, they should feel confident that joint replacement will help them better their life.
Arthritis, caused by rheumatoid arthritis, is a degradation of the cartilage, which is the cushioning in between the bones that make up the joint. But also what it can do to the joint is damage the ligaments, so you can get instability in the joint, which further damages the knee or the hip and also causes more pain.
Joint replacement is essentially a resurfacing procedure. It's removal of arthritis, which is damaged cartilage, and then replacement with metal and plastic parts. Rheumatoid arthritis patients have an increased risk of complication following surgery, so they have an increased risk for infection, they have increased risk for wound complications following the surgery. So those are just risks that patients need to be aware of before they proceed with joint replacement surgery.
For patients with rheumatoid arthritis, joint replacement is certainly an excellent option, especially if your quality of life is being affected by the destruction of your joint. And I think if a patient is having those types of symptoms, they should feel confident that joint replacement will help them better their life.
