Background

The Joint Replacement and Reconstruction Clinic of the Department of Orthopedics (Hadassah Mount Scopus) annually perform approximately 600 knee and hip joint replacements.

Medical Problems Treated by the Clinic

The patients treated in the clinic typically have advanced injuries of the hip or knee joint which require treatment, most of which are advanced degenerative injuries including cartilage deterioration requiring surgical intervention, particularly joint replacement.

Hadassah Medical Center is a tertiary center and therefore the unit's physicians also treat complex cases, such as patients following repeated surgeries, surgery due to serious infections, and patients suffering from significant bone loss.

Treatment Methods

In recent years surgical replacement of knees and joints has become very common practice. The patient begins to put weight on the joint the day after surgery and very quickly becomes mobile. Today, approximately 95% of first time joint replacement  patients are satisfied with their surgery results.

Due to recent technological and biological developments the longevity of transplants is increasing and today ranges between 15 – 20 years.

In recent years, there has been a move to performing hip replacement using a reduced incision of approximately 5-6 cm.  This incision minimizes tissue damage and patients recuperate much more quickly, with some being discharged after only 5 days.

During the past year the Unit performed, for the first time in the world, non-invasive computer guided hip replacement without any need to cut the muscles.

The Unit also performs joint reconstructive surgery. This surgery is geared towards young people with congenital diseases of the joints or developmental diseases. This surgery prevents degenerative changes in the joint and the need to replace the hip or the knee at a later stage in life.

The Department established a team which includes doctors, nurses, a social worker, a physical therapist and an occupational therapist who begin to work with the patient a month before surgery, guides him/her and from the start and attempts to ease the hospitalization and discharge. This system has proven effective in preventing superfluous fear and increasing patient satisfaction.

The Hadassah Orthopedics Department is part of the Hip and Knee Replacement Registry of Dundee University in Scotland.   All of the replacement statistics are forwarded to the University's computerized database thus allowing for independent follow-up of all results and complications. At any given time the Unit's staff is able to check Hadassah's results and compare them with those of other participating centers.

We are certain that this program will aid us in our quality control and will lead to additional improvements in surgical outcome.

The Unit's Physicians

Dr. Yoav Mattan: Head, Joint Replacement Unit

Prof. Iri Liebergall: Department Chairman

Dr. Najah Husseini

Dr. Menachem Lilling

Dr. Aryeh Kandel

Clinic Hours

Hadassah Mount Scopus: Tuesday 8:00 am – 11:30 am

For appointment, please call the:

Appointment Center – 02-5842111