UCSF Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Arthritis and Joint Replacement
Arthritis and Joint Replacement
Arthritis and Joint Replacement
Arthritis and Joint Replacement

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Arthritis and Joint Replacement

Appointments
San Francisco (Orthopaedic Institute at Mission Bay): 415-353-2808
San Francisco (Orthopaedic Trauma Institute at Zuckerberg San Francisco General): 415-206-8812
Arthritis and Joint Replacement Services are available in multiple locations in the Bay Area.
Download a complete listing of locations.

Our approach

The UCSF Arthritis and Joint Replacement Center has earned international acclaim for our innovative, evidence-based surgeries and pain management as well as our attentive, patient-centered approach, which eases the process for anyone who needs total hip or knee replacement.

Our team

Our providers performs more than 800 hip and knee procedures each year on patients who come to UCSF from around the world. We employ the latest technology and techniques to serve our goal of having our patients return to an active life.

Operative, non-operative care

We exhaust non-operative solutions for treating arthritis -- particularly, inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis. When medication and physical therapy no longer control joint pain, our team will evaluate a patient for surgery to provide joint preservation and restore normal movement.

Preparing for surgery

To prepare you for your joint replacement surgery, we have prepared both booklets and videos to guide you through the process. For hip replacement, please download hip replacement booklet or watch our hip replacement video. For knee replacement, please download knee replacement booklet or watch our knee replacement video.

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Next Previous

Video: Preparing for hip surgery (30 minutes, 46 seconds)
PDF: Hip Surgery: What to Expect (25 Pages)

PDF: Knee Surgery: What to Expect (25 pages)
Video: Preparing for knee surgery (29 minutes, 37 seconds)

Osteoarthritis of the Knee

There are three basic types of arthritis that may affect the knee joint.

Osteoarthritis: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of knee arthritis. OA is usually a slowly progressive degenerative disease in which the joint cartilage gradually wears away. It most often affects middle-aged and older people.
Rheumatoid Arthritis: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory type of arthritis that can destroy the joint cartilage. RA can occur at any age. RA generally affects both knees.
Post-traumatic Arthritis: Post-traumatic arthritis can develop after an injury to the knee. This type of arthritis is similar to osteoarthritis and may develop years after a fracture, ligament injury, or meniscus tear.

Osteoarthritis of the Hip

The smooth and glistening covering (articular cartilage) on the ends of your bones that helps your hip joint glide may wear thin. Like other joints that carry your weight, your hips may be at risk for “wear and tear” arthritis (osteoarthritis), the most common form of the disease.

Surgical Animations

Please check our library of surgical animations which are specifically designed to help you better understand your particular procedure. The use of surgical animation allows us to present procedures in an easy-to-understand format.

Cartilage videos include: