Adult Reconstruction

What is adult reconstruction?

Adult reconstruction is a sub-specialty of orthopaedic surgery. The goals of adult reconstruction are pain reduction and mobility improvement of the affected joint. Typically, such patients would have experienced severe wear or loss of cartilage in their joints due to arthritis, injury, trauma, or age-related changes.

In some patients, this may involve a joint replacement (commonly done on hip and knees). After replacement surgery, patients are able to participate in most activities of daily living pain-free for 10-20 years after surgery and sometimes longer.

For others, there may be an option to have joint preservation surgery of the knee and hip, maximising your current function and potentially prevent or delay the ultimate need for total joint replacement. Such procedures would include unicompartmental knee arthroplasty, realignment of the pelvis, femur, and knee (osteotomies), as well as resurfacing hip arthroplasty.

At Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, our orthopaedic surgeons are trained in new surgical techniques including minimally invasive surgery and the latest in implant technology to promote faster healing for patients with joint issues. Our goal is to help patients lead pain-free and active lives after treatment.

What conditions are treated under adult reconstruction?

Patients who have been treated for adult reconstruction have had prolonged joint pain or impaired function due to the following conditions:

· Joint injury
· arthritis
· and congenital joint defects.

When should you see an orthopaedic surgeon for adult reconstruction treatment?

As the goal of adult reconstruction treatment is to improve your quality of life, here are some reasons why you would consider getting treatment:
– Pain and stiffness that limits your everyday activities (including your sleep) despite the use of pain relief medication,
– Other forms of treatment such as drugs and physical therapy are no longer effective,
– or if you have bone damage as indicated in imaging tests.

Our specialists are available for consultation to explore if adult reconstruction is a suitable choice. With decades of experience in joint care, our orthopaedic surgeons and other medical professionals trained in joint care aim to maximise the function of joints and prevent or delay the need for total joint replacement. Our specialists use the latest surgical techniques and provide personalised treatment and rehabilitation to promote a swift recovery.

Did you know?

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons advises overweight and obese patients to reduce their weight before undertaking a joint replacement procedure. This is because they are more likely to experience complications and have poorer outcomes than a patient with normal weight.¹

How do I maintain or improve my orthopaedic health after adult reconstruction treatment?

Here are some lifestyle changes that you can make to maintain or improve your health after treatment:

· Maintaining or achieving a healthy weight is important. Patients with an obese or overweight body mass index who lost weight after their joint replacement surgeries have better functional and activity outcomes two years after their surgery when compared to their counterparts who gained weight.²
· Varying your exercise can help avoid overtaxing any one area of the body. Exercise will help reduce stiffness in your joints. Having a varied routine, strength exercises mixed with stretching and low-impact aerobic exercises, will help ensure that you do not strain a specific area, causing pain that might discourage you from exercising.
· Consider including weight training to help strengthen the muscles and ligaments surrounding your joints, to protect them from damage.

What facilities and technologies do our specialists use for adult reconstruction treatment?

At Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, our highly experienced orthopaedic surgeons reconstruct joints with total hip and knee replacements, osteotomies for alignment, and arthroplasties. Where possible, our surgeons perform procedures using minimally invasive techniques to reduce trauma and scarring while improving success rates and recovery speed.

Computer-aided robotic surgery allows for added precision during surgical procedures. Our orthopaedic surgeons are experienced with robotic partial knee replacement (MAKOplasty®), which is a surgical treatment that relieves pain caused by the wear and tear of joint cartilage. The robot arm resurfaces only the affected area leaving the surrounding tissues untouched.

At Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, we understand the frustration of living with pain, discomfort, and inconvenience due to a debilitating orthopaedic condition. We want to help you get back on your feet as quickly and safely as possible.

[1] American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Obesity, Weight Loss, and Joint Replacement Surgery-OrthoInfo – AAOS. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00745. Accessed October 22, 2017.

[2] Ast MP, Abdel MP, Lee Y -y., Lyman S, Ruel A V., Westrich GH. Weight Changes After Total Hip or Knee Arthroplasty: Prevalence, Predictors, and Effects on Outcomes. J Bone Jt Surg. 2015;97(11):911-919. doi:10.2106/JBJS.N.00232.