The MemorialCare Joint Replacement Center at Long Beach Memorial offers an innovative new treatment option for those suffering with degenerative hip joint disease.

MAKOplasty is a robotic arm assisted total hip replacement procedure designed for those suffering with inflammatory or non-inflammatory degenerative hip joint disease. Using real-time information and images of your hip, a MAKOplasty certified surgeon knows and controls accurate implant placement, which can be difficult to achieve with traditional total hip replacement techniques.

What are Degenerative Joint Diseases?

Degenerative joint diseases are chronic conditions often resulting in pain, the loss of an active lifestyle and diminished quality of life. There are different types of degenerative hip joint disease that can affect the hip, including:

  • Osteoarthritis (OA), in which cartilage wears down over time
  • Post-traumatic arthritis, which results from a severe fracture or dislocation of the hip
  • Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory arthritis of the joints
  • Avascular necrosis (AVN) is a condition where the “ball” or femoral head of the hip joint has lost a healthy supply of blood flow causing the bone to die and the femoral head becomes misshaped
  • Hip dysplasia is a condition where bones around the hip joint did not form properly, which may cause misalignment of the hip joint

What Causes Degenerative Joint Diseases?
The risk of developing a symptomatic degenerative joint disease is influenced by multiple factors such as age, gender and inherited traits that can affect the shape and stability of your joints.

Other factors can include:

  • Previous hip injury
  • Repetitive strain on the hip
  • Improper joint alignment
  • Being overweight
  • Exercise or sports-generated stress placed on the hip joint

MAKOplasty Total Hip Arthroplasty Benefits May Include:

  • Increased mobility and the return to an active lifestyle
  • Accurate placement of the hip implant using the surgeon-controlled robotic arm system, which can reduce the likelihood of hip dislocation
  • More consistency in leg length, potentially decreasing the need for a shoe lift
  • Decreased risk of the implant and bone abnormally rubbing together – this may improve the lifetime of the implant

Before surgery is considered, the specific risks associated with MAKOplasty and other treatment options should be discussed with a physician, as well as pre-operative and post-operative instructions. As a total hip replacement procedure, MAKOplasty is typically covered by insurance.

Symptoms not responding to non-surgical solutions and pain that can no longer be controlled by medication are indicators that MAKOplastycould be an appropriate treatment option.

To learn more about this procedure, call 800-MEMORIAL for a list of orthopedic surgeons specializing in MAKOplasty at Long Beach Memorial.