When surgery is the best treatment option for you, count on Providence Hospital’s board-certified orthopedic surgeons for compassionate and individualized care through the use of state-of-the-art surgical solutions to remedy joint problems.

Our orthopedic surgeons have the experience you expect of exceptional practitioners and the compassion and love for their patients that provides unprecedented individualized care.  Providence offers total hip replacement surgery and total knee replacement surgery.

Total Hip Replacement

The Total Hip Replacement surgery removes damaged bone and cartilage from the hip joint and replaces it with an artificial joint (prosthesis). An artificial ball connected to a stem replaces the ball of your thighbone. An artificial cup, shaped like a bowl, replaces the worn socket. These parts fit to create a new artificial hip that works almost exactly like your natural hip joint.  All parts have smooth surfaces for comfortable movement once you have healed from surgery. The prosthesis is usually made of a wear-resistant plastic (polyethylene) and a metal (titanium, stainless steel, or cobalt), depending on what your doctor determines is best for you. The artificial ball and socket are held in place by bone cement or by your bone growing into the prosthesis, or by a combination of both.

Total Knee Replacement

The Total Knee Replacement surgery removes the surfaces of the knee joint and inserts a new metal and plastic prosthesis. The femoral replacement is metal and covers the end of the thighbone. The tibial replacement has a metal stem with a plastic tray that glides on the femoral piece. The patellar replacement is plastic and glides in the groove of the femur.

The Total Joint Education Program

At Providence Hospital, we understand how intimidating and sometimes scary joint replacement surgery can be. Undergoing joint replacement is a process that begins well before the day of surgery. In order to help you through this process and to educate you on the many steps in a joint replacement, Providence’s Orthopedic Services offers a Total Joint Program. 

The Total Joint Program assists patients as they prepare for total hip and/or knee replacement surgery. The program provides patients with comprehensive information about their surgical procedure in order to increase their knowledge about the procedure, help them prepare for surgery, and guide them through the recovery process.

Our detailed program includes:

• Consultation with Care Management Services to determine what post-surgery options your insurance covers
• Consultation with your Physical Therapist concerning recommended activities and exercises post-surgery
• Consultation with your surgeon, recovery room nurse, and respiratory care department concerning your procedure
• Patient Education Session and Manual

When you and your doctor have decided that surgery is the best treatment plan for you, he or she will refer you to the Total Joint Program. You will need to complete the program prior to the day of your surgery. 

The program is offered every Monday from 2 pm – 4 pm in the 5th Floor Solarium for patients and their families. To schedule your appointment, call the Orthopedic Nurse Specialist at (202) 269- 7598. When you come for your session, report to the Orthopedic Patient Floor (5 South) Nurses’ Station, and notify the unit secretary that you have arrived to meet with the Orthopedic Nurse Specialist.