Joint Replacement & Joint Revision Surgery
The ultimate solution for your unrelenting hip and knee pain exists. There is no need to suffer with hip and knee pain. You don't need to miss out on what makes you happy.
Suffering with arthritis or constant joint pain? Ibuprofen helps but doesn't last. Injections may have worked for a while but now don't work as well. Whether you suffer from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or other painful maladies, we have the answers to your questions. At Iowa Clinic, our orthopaedic surgery specialists are here to help you get back on your feet, back on the golf course, back to hiking, back to playing with grandkids, essentially back to doing all the things you love most.
Live pain-free
You shouldn’t suffer with hip pain, knee pain or other joint pain.
Find an orthopaedic surgeon near you.
Hip and Knee Replacement Surgery at The Iowa Clinic
Who is a good candidate for joint replacement surgery? How do I know if I need it?
Anyone struggling with pain in the hip (usually felt in the groin) or knee related to arthritis is a good candidate for joint replacement or arthroplasty surgery, after having exhausted reasonable non-surgical or conservative treatments. Most people have tried some conservative treatments, such as activity modification, over-the-counter pain medications, such as Tylenol and anti-inflammatory medications, injections, or physical therapy prior to even seeing an orthopaedic surgeon for their symptoms.
Regardless of the cause (osteoarthritis, post-traumatic, or other inflammatory arthritis conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis), the destruction of the tissue that cushions the bone ends from the stress of loading, also called cartilage, progresses gradually until there is bone touching bone. Even advanced arthritis can be effectively treated with non-surgical treatment measures mentioned above and your orthopaedic surgeon can be very helpful in recommending which of these are most suitable over the course of your disease, tailoring the recommendations based on your specific symptoms and goals. As the disease continues to progress, however, there often comes a time that these conservative measures no longer have enough of an effect to rid you of the pain and allow you to maintain the quality of life and function you desire. It is when you get to this point that considering a hip or knee replacement is appropriate.
The great news? Pain relief is near.
With a hip replacement, the pain you had leading up to your surgery is gone almost immediately afterwards. Most people wake up from surgery and instantly feel better. You can walk immediately following the surgery with the assistance of nurses and physical therapists and within a few weeks, you are back to normal walking completely pain-free.
While knee replacement recovery is not as rapid, the pain after knee arthroplasty is much better tolerated than in the past. One of the best advancements in joint replacement surgery is the ability to control pain effectively after surgery, which allows for faster recovery and early discharge from the hospital or surgery center, (even discharging home the same day is now commonplace for both hip and knee replacement surgery). Physical therapy sessions, usually twice weekly for an average of 6 weeks, are essential to fostering the best results after knee replacement surgery.
Posterior or anterior? Robotic or computer navigation? I want the best!
Kawsu Barry, MD completed an additional year of subspecialty or fellowship training in adult reconstruction and joint replacement surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School, where he became well-versed in primary, complex and revision (redo) hip and knee replacement surgery, anterior hip surgery, partial knee replacements, the use of robotic, navigated, and custom joint replacement, and outpatient joint replacement surgery. With such background, along with continuing education and keeping up to speed on the latest advances, Dr. Barry remains poised in discussing all of the latest innovations and how they can affect your outcomes with joint replacement.
Dr. Barry finds the relationship you have with your surgeon matters more than any piece of technology. He prioritizes forming a genuine connection with his patients and treats them all as he would his own family. Dr. Barry honestly presents options to his patients and enjoys educating his patients so they can be comfortable with any decision made regarding their treatment.
Hip arthroplasty has traditionally been approached through the back side of the hip joint, or posteriorly. The direct anterior approach, which entails performing the hip replacement surgery through the front of the hip, although not a new approach, has been gaining popularity over the past decade primarily due to the quicker recovery it allows patients when compared to the posterior approach. The research has otherwise not shown any other significant differences with respect to patient outcomes between the two approaches, however. Dr. Barry performs the vast majority of his hip replacement surgeries using the direct anterior approach and has had outstanding results with it.
Modern technology has revolutionized joint replacement surgery. Robotic and computer-navigated joint replacement surgery are excellent accessories in the joint replacement surgeon’s toolkit. They enable the surgeon to execute certain aspects of the surgery, such as in what orientation to position the prostheses within the bone, with greater precision and accuracy. To date, however, there has not been any convincing evidence that this translates to superior outcomes in patients whose surgeries were performed using these technologies. Dr. Barry is adept at utilizing all these technologies and knows the scenarios in which they would be of greatest benefit to a patient and would utilize them accordingly.
Success post-surgery: What to expect post-op.
Hip and knee replacement are now being performed with minimal if any facility stay. Most patients go home the day after surgery, and many go home the same day. As such, the best experience involves education in expectations after surgery and preparing for going home. You will receive extensive information regarding this important transition. In addition, you will be in contact with the joint camp team, who will exhaustively ensure you are prepared for your recovery at home. Lastly, Dr. Barry is always accessible to his patients for concerns and questions.
What is the difference between joint replacement surgery and a joint revision?
Primary joint replacement is the procedure for those patients suffering from joint destruction related to arthritis of any kind. Most primary joint replacements these days last 25 to 30 years, on average. Because the joint prostheses are mechanical parts, they predictably wear out over time and in some patients, there may come a time that partial or complete failure of the joint replacement prostheses occur, which would then require a redo or revision joint replacement surgery. In a very small minority of patients, revisions may be warranted within a short period after their primary joint replacement surgery due to complications such as fracture, infection, or recurrent dislocation.
The Iowa Clinic specializes in orthopaedic hip and knee surgery:
- Primary total knee replacement
- Primary total hip replacement
- Revision total hip replacement
- Revision total knee replacement
“I take a lot of pride in really listening to my patients and work to form a genuine partnership with them in their care. I take my time to educate them thoroughly on their diagnosis and lay out for them, in plain language, all the treatment options, and based on the severity of their disease along with their goals, make recommendations tailored accordingly. I treat each patient as an individual, as opposed to a one-size-fits-all approach. I promise to be right by your side, walking step-by-step to ultimately help you achieve your goals from a quality-of-life standpoint and a lot of the time,” says Dr. Barry.
Make an appointment with an orthopaedic surgeon.
Ask your primary care doctor for a referral to an orthopaedic surgeon or book an appointment online.