Geoffrey Westrich, MD

Orthopedic surgeons perform almost 700,000 knee replacements in the United States each year. The procedure has a high success rate, alleviating pain and restoring an active lifestyle. It’s fairly common for patients to have arthritis in both knees, and they often decide to have both of them replaced. The dilemma many people face is whether to have surgery on both sides at the same time, a procedure referred to as “bilateral knee replacement,” or two separate operations. I always advise people to carefully weigh the pros and cons of each option. Many people want to have a double knee replacement because they feel they can get it over with faster since there’s one surgery, one hospital stay and one course of rehabilitation. For the right patient, it’s a good option. However, double knee replacement is not for everyone, and people should be well-informed before making a decision.                   Studies show that bilateral knee...

Advertisements for treatments claiming to cure or slow down arthritis can be found on the Internet, on television and in print ads. They include drinks, certain supplements and rubs. Most are a a waste of money.  The ads target people in pain who want to avoid surgery. The problem is, the longer people wait, the worse their arthritis can get. In the beginning, even if these bogus remedies provide a false sense of security, people are actually worse off because they are not receiving the proper care. The bottom line is that patients should be wary of any advertisement for a product claiming to cure arthritis. Supplements such as glucasomine and chondroitin, more in the mainstream, are also purported to slow the progression of arthritis. However, in 2013, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons added these supplements to the list of treatments that provide little benefit. Knee lavage or “washing out the knee” has also received a thumbs down from the American ...