Many people with arthritis find that having surgery brings about a dramatic reduction in their pain, and an improvement in their mobility and quality of life. A wide range of types of surgery can help people with arthritis, from small procedures (such as operations to remove cysts or nodules), to major surgery (which includes total joint replacement).
As drug treatments are continually improving, many people with arthritis will never need to have surgery. Some people can effectively manage their condition through their medication and lifestyle. So the decision to have surgery is usually only made after other treatment options have been explored. You should find out as much as you can about the different procedures before weighing up the pros and cons with your doctor.
As with all operations, there can be risks and complications in having surgery for arthritis, such as infection or that the operation will not be successful.

■ Who has surgery?
Hip and knee replacements are very common procedures. In the past, most operations were performed on people over 60 but, as the quality of artificial hips and knees has improved, younger people are having these procedures. Younger people who have joint replacements are likely to need revision surgery later in life, so the decision to have surgery needs to take this into account.

As a person with arthritis you may consider having surgery if:

• Your pain is severely affecting your quality of life.
• A joint is severely damaged.
• You are struggling to carry out daily activities, such as dressing, shopping and working.

Joint replacements are usually very successful at relieving pain. The degree to which movement may improve will depend on how severe your arthritis is and how strong the muscles are surrounding your joints. Some people need surgery to prevent their arthritis getting worse. A joint that is not operated on may become stiffer, deformed and the muscle around the joint may be weakened, which could make an operation in the future more difficult.

You can access more information on surgery in Arthritis Ireland's Surgery and Arthritis booklet.
 

Important Notice: DePuy Orthopaedics recently announced a recall of two specific hip replacement implant products. While this was a worldwide recall, about 3,300 patients received these implants in Ireland, across 16 public and 14 private hospital sites nationwide since 2003. Click here for a full guide to the recall.