Arthritis / Treatments

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Arthritis is a common very misunderstood word. It is used in the usual context to mean “arthritis” as in my joint hurts. Or, my doctor says I have “arthritis”. The reality is that the word arthritis is used any time any joint for whatever reason is injured or inflamed. Arthritis literally means inflammation of a joint. But, there are many types of arthritis.

Rheumatology is the specialty that deals with various types of arthritis, from rheumatoid arthritis, to osteoarthritis, to lupus, to Sjogrens, to infectious such as sexually transmitted disease, to inflammatory such as Gout and many others. All of these are in the general category of arthritis.

The most common types of arthritis are degenerative arthritis commonly called Osteoarthritis. It is the most often type which results in knee or hip replacement. Rheumatoid arthritis is the type which can result in hand deformity.

The Carticel Procedure does not address these types of arthritis. Carticel is used with traumatic or microtraumatic arthritis, an injury to a joint. These cases can be treated with chondrocyte cultures to repair the knee joint and return it to a hyaline like cartilage surface; almost the same as your original joint.

Treatments for Established Arthritis

Many patients suffer for years with arthritis that limits even the simplest activities. For these patients, current restoration and preservation options do not apply. Fortunately, surgeons at The Joint Preservation Center have a wide range of methods to relieve pain and help restore function.

  • Steroid Injections

    Dr. Berman may elect to inject your joint with a steroid fluid or “cortisone” in order to reduce the pain and inflammation that you may have experienced. Please note that not everyone will have a lasting response following the injection. However, many patients experience significant decreased swelling, decreased pain, increased range of motion, and improved function. Here is some information that he would like you to know: The injection consists of two medications: Cortisone (a steroid) and Marcaine (a numbingRead more

  • Total Joint Replacement

    If there is extensive damage throughout the joint that precludes the use of the above options and procedures, then all of the knee joint surfaces can be replaced with artificial components allowing most patients to return to pain-free activities.

  • Unicompartmental Joint Replacement

    This procedure completely replaces one half of the joint, either the medial or inner compartment or the lateral or outer compartment. The replacement is made of metal and plastic and can correct alignments as well as result in a pain free joint in selected patients. The remainder of the joint is left intact. ConforMIS iUni® and iDuo® partial knee replacements Today, many patients with osteoarthritis of the medial or lateral compartment plus patellofemoral receive a total knee replacement (TKR) without consideration ofRead more

  • Osteotomy

    When the bones do not align properly causing angular changes in the joint, (causing either knock knees or bow legs), joint forces are not evenly distributed and may overload one side causing pain and possibly degeneration. With an osteotomy (which means to cut the bone), the surgeon can cut either the femur or the tibia and realign those forces making them share the stresses. After healing, the bones are in a new position shifting the force and weight from theRead more

  • Synvisc-One (Viscosupplementation)

    Viscosupplementation has become increasingly more popular as new “devices” (preparations) have become available. Viscosupplements are biologic synovial prosthetics. They bind to the joint surface and lubricate and cushion your knee joint. They are designed for Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD), so called osteoarthritis. They represent another treatment option for the pain and swelling of chronic DJD. For patients who wish to consider a non-surgical option or who are trying to postpone an inevitable Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA), viscosupplementation may give significantRead more

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