Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (NR)  

Mangalore, Feb 16: KMC hospital will hold a free consultation camp for joint replacement at its premises here from Monday February 18 to Friday February 22 between 9 am and 1 pm, informed a press release.

According to the release Dr Surendra U Kamath and Dr Prem Kotian will be the specialists for the camp. Dr Sunil Deshpande, COO, KMC Hospital stated that the camp aims at educating people about joint diseases. It would help them to know more about various medical options of relieving themselves and their loved ones from painful joints, he added. 
 
Joint replacement is one of the most common and successful operations in modern orthopaedic surgery. It consists of replacing painful, arthritic, worn or cancerous parts of the joint with artificial surfaces shaped in such a way as to allow joint movement, stated the release.
 
Joints are formed by the ends of two or more bones connected by tissue called cartilage. Healthy cartilage serves as a protective cushion, allowing smooth and low-friction movement of the joint. If the cartilage becomes damaged by disease or injury, the tissues around the joint become inflamed, causing pain. With time, the cartilage wears away, allowing the rough edges of the bones to rub against each other causing more pain.
 
The release further stated that surgeons consider exercise, walking aids like braces or canes, physical therapy, medicines and supplements before advising a joint replacement. The goal is to relieve the pain in the joint caused by the damage done to the cartilage and restore movement of the joint. If the pain is  severe, a person may avoid using the joint, thus weakening the muscles around the joint and making it even more difficult to move.
 
Total joint replacement is considered if other treatment options are not able to relieve the pain and disability. In this surgical procedure, the painful and restricted joint is replaced with prosthesis, or artificial joint which functions like the original joint. It is performed by an orthopaedic surgeon. Prosthesis may be cemented in place or left without cementing, so that the bone will grow in to it.  Both methods may be combined to keep the joint in place. Shoulders, hips and knees are the most common sites of joint replacements, added the release.