Hip and knee replacement surgery involve replacing the worn-out bone and cartilage lining your hip or knee joint with new implants that are composed of materials such as ceramic, metal and plastic. The materials used for hip and knee replacements are quite similar.

You might be considering having your surgery outside of your home community. Whether traveling outside of the United States or within the United States for medical care, it’s best to discuss your options with your surgeon.

During knee replacement surgery, damaged bone and cartilage is resurfaced with metal and plastic components. In unicompartmental knee replacement (also called "partial" knee replacement) only a portion of the knee is resurfaced. This procedure is an alternative to total knee replacement for patients whose disease is limited to just one area of the knee.

This animation explains total knee replacement, a surgical procedure in which parts of an arthritic or damaged knee joint are removed and replaced with a metal, plastic or ceramic device called a prosthesis.

Arthroplasty means the surgical repair of a joint. Orthopaedic surgeons performing an arthroplasty use metal and/or plastic parts to reconstruct degenerative, damaged, or arthritic joint surfaces in patients with severe arthritis who have failed nonsurgical treatment and have disabling function, limitation of activities of daily living, and severe pain.

This animation explains total hip replacement, a surgical procedure in which parts of an arthritic or damaged hip joint are removed and replaced with a metal, plastic or ceramic device called a prosthesis.

Whether you have just begun exploring treatment options or have already decided to undergo hip replacement surgery, this information will help you understand the benefits and limitations of total hip replacement.

When non-surgical treatments for knee arthritis fail, you and your doctor may consider surgery. Learn about which surgical options are optimal for treating osteoarthritis in your knee.

Total knee replacement is one of the most successful procedures in all of medicine. In the vast majority of cases, it enables people to live richer, more active lives free of chronic knee pain. Over time, however, a knee replacement may fail for a variety of reasons. When this occurs, your knee can become painful and swollen. It may also feel stiff or unstable, making it difficult to perform your everyday activities.

Although shoulder joint replacement is less common than knee or hip replacement, it is just as successful in relieving joint pain.