Total Joint Replacement (TJR) Surgery

At Atrius Health, physicians specializing in arthritis and degenerative conditions of the joints provide diagnostic and treatment options. Some patients benefit from therapeutic exercise, lifestyle changes or assistive walking devices. Others need NSAID’s, pain medication or steroid injections. There are some patients that will benefit from a surgical procedure to replace the bones of a joint, known as total joint replacement (TJR).

Joint pain can be a debilitating illness that significantly interferes with the quality of life. Everyday activities such as walking and getting up and down from chairs can be difficult and limiting with chronic hip and knee pain. When the shoulder is involved, reaching and carrying objects is affected.

Joints are the junction between two bony surfaces. These surfaces of your joints are covered with cartilage – a smooth substance that cushions the bones and enables them to move easily. A thin, smooth tissue liner called the synovial membrane covers the remaining surfaces of the knee. This membrane releases a special fluid that lubricates the joint, thereby reducing friction. When disease or injury occurs in the joint, friction reduction is disrupted, resulting in pain, muscle weakness and or function.

The most common condition that causes joint deterioration is osteoarthritis; other causes include inflammatory arthritis (i.e., rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis), hip disorders of infancy and childhood and trauma.

During total joint replacement surgery, your surgeon will remove the damaged cartilage and bone, then position the new metal and joint surfaces to restore the alignment and function of your knee, hip or shoulder. We offer minimally invasive total joint replacement surgery utilizing state of the art computer assisted surgical navigation technology. The minimally invasive surgery usually results in shorter inpatient stays and a quicker recovery.

At Atrius Health, we have a team that addresses your needs from pre-op through recovery. Orthopedic surgeons specializing in TJR surgery discuss and plan your surgery. Your primary care physician will evaluate you to ensure that you are in good condition for the surgery. Physician Assistants in Orthopedics meet with you prior to your surgery to discuss the procedure and post op expectations. Physical Therapists will help you with your post-op rehabilitation. Our team works with the doctors, nurses and therapists at the hospitals to coordinate your post-op care.