Knee or hip prosthesis

When you have problems with a joint such as wear and tear, a fracture or an abnormality, it is sometimes necessary to remove the joint and replace it with a prosthesis.

Why a prosthesis?

The most common causes for joint replacement are wear and tear, knee osteoarthritis or a position deviation. When you suffer from your joint and medication or other means (physical therapy, infiltrations...) do not help enough, the placement of a prosthesis is considered. This prosthesis aims to relieve you of your pain and allow the joint to move better.

We will give you an information session before the operation in order to prepare you as well as possible.

In de maand voor je opname krijg je de mogelijkheid om een infosessie te volgen, waarin je meer informatie krijgt over de voorbereiding van je ingreep, je opname in het ziekenhuis en de verdere revalidatie. Het is belangrijk dat je hier voor je ingreep van op de hoogte bent. Je kan kiezen voor een fysieke infosessie in het ziekenhuis, of je krijgt digitaal enkele filmpjes doorgestuurd via e-mail. 

Onderstaande filmpjes bevatten al veel informatie over wat je kan verwachten.

Surgery

You must be sober the morning of the procedure. You will have to wash thoroughly the night before with a disinfecting soap (iso-Betadine Uniwash®). There may be a blood test taken before surgery if necessary. During surgery, the diseased joint will be replaced with a prosthesis. Each type of prosthesis has its own procedure.

Knee

The procedure is done under general anaesthesia or with help of an epidural. The anaesthesiologist will discuss the (dis)advantages of this with you. An incision is made across the knee. Using the latest techniques, an attempt is made to preserve as much muscle and tissue as possible.

There are three types of prostheses: a total, a half and a kneecap prosthesis. The total knee replacement is most often placed, but when the wear and tear is localized, it is possible to only replace the diseased part with a half or kneecap replacement.

Within Sint-Trudo Hospital, it is possible to have a knee replacement placed via robotic surgery. This allows the prosthesis to be placed with the greatest accuracy and tailored to your body. Read more about it below.

Een knieprothese kan geplaatst worden met behulp van een innovatieve robot (Navio®, tegenwoordig CORI). Sint-Trudo Ziekenhuis was het eerste ziekenhuis in België waar deze robot operationeel is. De robot helpt de chirurg om de totale knieprothese zo nauwkeurig te plaatsen dat deze optimaal afgestemd is op de natuurlijke positie van de knie en de noden van de patiënt in de behandeling van artrose. Deze vrij nieuwe techniek laat ons toe om een prothese te plaatsen die zowel rekening houdt met de beenderige structuren als met de weke delen (pezen, ligamenten) van de oorspronkelijke knie. Ook bij jongere patiënten kan de robot ingeschakeld worden bij minder invasieve interventies zoals een halve knieprothese, om deze met grote precisie te plaatsen.

We zijn binnen het ziekenhuis in 2018 begonnen met de robotchirurgie en het lijkt vandaag de standaard te zullen worden binnen de prothesiologie. 

Meer info: reportage TV Limburg

Hip

A hip prosthesis, like the joint, consists of two parts:

  • a head and a stem made of metal. The stem is inserted into the shaft of the femur.
  • a bowl (cup) made of plastic, or a combination of metal and plastic, which is fastened into the pelvis.

With a partial hip replacement, only the cup is replaced.

Recovery

The day after surgery, you start rehabilitation with a physical therapist. The first few days are mainly devoted to comfort and pain control, along with attention to knee mobility. Before your discharge it is important that you are able to walk and climb stairs on your own again, if necessary with an aid (crutches or a walker).

Your discharge is prepared in close collaboration with the team (orthopaedist, nurses, physical therapist, occupational therapist, social worker) and primary care providers such as the family doctor, physical therapist and home nurse.

Rehabilitation

Read more about the rehabilitation process after knee or hip replacement surgery below.

Rehabilitation after a knee or hip replacement

Frequently Asked Questions

Knee replacement:

You will spend three days in the hospital. The day of surgery is the first day in this regard. On this first day we start practicing your daily actions and movements. This will continue on the second day. On the third day, discharge is prepared and you can return home in the early afternoon.

Hip replacement:

You will spend two days in the hospital. The day of surgery is the first day here. On this first day we will start practicing your daily actions and movements. On the second day, discharge will be prepared and you will be able to go home in the early afternoon.

Room supplements are costs the hospital may charge for treatment or stay in a single room. You can find the exact amount in the admission statement. Both fees and room supplements are payable by you, unless you have additional hospitalization insurance that covers these costs. When in doubt, check with your insurance company.

No, shaving is not necessary for everyone. If it is nevertheless necessary, it is done in the hospital to prevent cuts.

The Isobetadine Uniwash® soap is available in pharmacies without a prescription. Instructions for use can be found on our website.

If you would like to come to the hospital for physical therapy after returning home, it is best to mention this during your pre-admission visit. If you make this decision at a later time (during the admission or after the surgery), it is best to let the physiotherapist know. This way, your appointment can still be arranged.

No, if you wish to continue rehabilitation (in the hospital or externally) after admission, this period is at least two weeks.

No, providing a hospital bed is not a necessity. Climbing stairs is taught during your stay in the hospital. When in doubt, you can always raise this question with the physiotherapist or occupational therapist, so that social services can be contacted if necessary (e.g. if you already had trouble climbing stairs before the operation, ...).

Before your admission, contact your hospital insurance to find out which costs are covered and which costs you will have to pay for yourself. For questions about the cost of your procedure, you can always have an estimate be made. It is best to contact the secretariat of your attending physician for this. Based on their information, the billing department can make an estimate. More information is available on the Sint-Trudo hospital website under your invoice.

Departments

For more information, contact the orthopaedics department.

Association orthopaedics 011 33 42 86 dr. Peter Bollars 011 69 96 60