Joint Replacement

If you live with osteoarthritis, joint replacement surgery can help you enjoy a more active, pain-free lifestyle. This treatment exchanges a worn-out knee, hip or shoulder with an implant that moves and feels like a natural, healthy joint. Choose AnMed, and you’ll stay close to home in upstate South Carolina for advanced technology and expertise. Find out how we can help you get back to the activities you love.

Is Joint Replacement Right For Me?

Consider joint replacement if your pain:

To make sure you’re a good candidate for treatment, a surgeon will ask many questions about your symptoms and overall health. The doctor will review the results of your joint X-rays and watch as you walk, sit, bend and move. If the physician determines you qualify for joint replacement, it’s your decision whether to receive surgery.

joint replacement

Recognized for Excellent Care

Expect safe, high-quality treatment when you choose AnMed Medical Center, which: 

  • Ranks among the top 10 percent of hospitals for quality in hip and knee replacement, according to the CMS/Premier Hospital Quality Incentive Demonstration Project
  • Is a Blue Cross Blue Shield Blue Distinction Center for knee and hip replacement
  • Has The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval® for total hip and total knee replacement certification

Procedures Available

You may benefit from:

  • Total or partial knee replacement
  • Total hip replacement, including the anterior approach, which makes the incision on the front of your hip and affects less tissue than the traditional approach, leading to a quicker recovery
  • Total shoulder replacement or reverse shoulder replacement, which switches the position of the ball and socket to allow fuller movement after a severe rotator cuff tear 
     

Joint Replacement Locations

Find joint replacement care in:

Advanced, Robotic Surgical Technology

For hip or knee replacement, your surgeon may use AnMed Medical Center’s Mako SmartRobotics™ system. This computer software helps the doctor:

  • Use 3D images of your knee to plan a precise, personalized approach to your procedure
  • Protect as much healthy bone as possible and accurately place the implant so it feels natural 

Your surgeon may perform your procedure by controlling a Mako robot whose arms bend and move in steady ways that human hands can’t. This precise, thorough and careful approach helps you achieve the best possible results. 

Total Joint Academy Preop Class

Get ready for joint replacement by attending our class that covers everything you need to know to ensure a smooth, safe journey through treatment. Bring a loved one who will care for you at home after surgery. A nurse and physical therapist will explain each step of the preparation and recovery process, so you feel informed and empowered. 

Preventing Pain

Before surgery, you’ll receive anesthesia to prevent pain and make you sleep or relax. You may also receive an injection of regional anesthesia (a nerve block) to reduce postsurgical pain in your joint. This approach offers relief with less need for opioids or other pain medications.  

After Surgery

Depending on your procedure and overall health, you may return home the same day or stay in the hospital for one night after surgery. Relax in your private room with plenty of space for visitors and large windows that offer calming views of the outdoors.

A nurse and physical therapist will help you get up and moving around the day of surgery. At AnMed Medical Center, you’ll find support and encouragement during one-on-one therapy and group rehabilitation sessions with your peers. Enjoy our inpatient rehabilitation gym with a variety of equipment and amenities that help you practice everyday tasks using your new joint.

Leaving the Hospital

A care coordinator will meet with you and your family to prepare for the transition home. We’ll arrange home health care, including in-home rehabilitation, and make sure you have medical equipment to do daily tasks safely during recovery.

See your surgeon regularly for follow-up appointments to check on your incision and confirm that you’re recovering as well as possible.

Full Recovery & Return to Activities

Your rehabilitation and postsurgical care plan will help you start returning to your daily routine three to six weeks after surgery. Full recovery may take six to 12 months. Ask your doctor about the right level of activity for your joint and health over the long term.