Orthopedic Procedures
51 proceduresSurgery guides with recovery timelines, costs, and what to expect from each procedure.
Educational purposes only. Recovery timelines and cost estimates are general guidelines. Always consult a board-certified orthopedic surgeon.
Knee
5 proceduresTotal Knee Replacement
CommonTotal knee replacement (total knee arthroplasty) is a surgical procedure that replaces damaged cartilage and bone in the knee joint with metal and plastic components. It is the most common joint replacement surgery, with over 700,000 performed annually in the US. The procedure relieves pain and restores function in severely diseased knee joints.
Partial Knee Replacement
Partial knee replacement (unicompartmental knee arthroplasty) resurfaces only the worn-out part of the knee — the inner (medial), outer (lateral), or kneecap (patellofemoral) compartment — leaving healthy bone, cartilage, and ligaments untouched. Recovery is faster than total knee replacement and the knee tends to feel more natural afterward. It works for roughly 25-30% of patients with knee arthritis.
Knee Osteotomy
Knee osteotomy corrects alignment by cutting and repositioning the tibia (high tibial osteotomy) or femur (distal femoral osteotomy) to shift weight off the damaged compartment. The natural joint stays intact. For younger patients with single-compartment arthritis and a correctable alignment problem, it can put off knee replacement by 10-15 years — sometimes indefinitely.
Knee Cartilage Restoration
Knee cartilage restoration covers a group of procedures — microfracture, osteochondral autograft transfer (OATS), and matrix-induced autologous chondrocyte implantation (MACI) — that repair isolated cartilage defects rather than treat widespread arthritis. These work best in younger, active patients with otherwise healthy knees. The goal is to fill the defect before the joint deteriorates further.
Revision Knee Replacement
Revision knee replacement removes and replaces a failed or worn primary knee implant. While modern knee replacements last 20+ years for most patients, they can fail from implant wear, loosening, infection, instability, or fracture — requiring a more complex second surgery to restore function. Revision surgery is significantly more involved than primary replacement, often requiring specialized implants with longer stems to achieve stable fixation into bone that has already been surgically altered.
Hip
5 proceduresTotal Hip Replacement
CommonTotal hip replacement (total hip arthroplasty) is a surgical procedure that replaces the damaged hip joint with an artificial implant. The surgeon removes the damaged femoral head (ball) and acetabulum (socket) and replaces them with metal, ceramic, and/or plastic components. It is one of the most successful operations in medicine, with over 450,000 performed annually in the US.
Hip Arthroscopy
Hip arthroscopy uses a small camera inserted into the hip joint to both diagnose and fix problems — labral tears, femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), loose bodies, cartilage damage. The procedure keeps the natural joint intact and works best in younger patients before arthritis takes hold. It has grown considerably over the past decade as surgeons look for ways to preserve hips rather than replace them.
Hip Resurfacing
Hip resurfacing caps the damaged femoral head with a metal shell rather than removing it entirely. The socket gets a metal cup. Because the femoral stem is left intact, revision surgery is simpler if it's needed years later. It's best suited for younger, active patients with good bone quality who plan to stay physically active for a long time.
Hip Labral Repair
Hip labral repair is an arthroscopic procedure to fix a torn or damaged labrum — the ring of cartilage that lines the outer rim of the hip socket. The labrum acts like a seal, keeping the ball of the femur seated in the socket and distributing load evenly across the joint. When it tears, usually from a structural mismatch called femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) or from repetitive stress, patients get deep groin pain, clicking, and a feeling that the hip is locking or catching. Labral repair addresses the tear directly rather than simply removing the tissue.
Revision Hip Replacement
Revision hip replacement is a complex surgical procedure to replace a failed, worn, or infected hip implant. As primary hip replacements are performed in younger, more active patients, revision surgery is becoming more common — approximately 40,000 revision hip replacements are performed annually in the US. The procedure is significantly more complex than primary hip replacement and is best performed by surgeons specializing in complex joint reconstruction.
Sports Med
9 proceduresACL Reconstruction
CommonACL reconstruction is a surgical procedure that replaces a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) with a tissue graft to restore knee stability. The surgery is performed arthroscopically (minimally invasive) and uses a graft from the patient's own tissue (autograft) or a donor (allograft). It is one of the most common sports medicine procedures, with over 200,000 performed annually in the US.
Arthroscopic Surgery
Arthroscopic surgery (arthroscopy) is a minimally invasive surgical procedure used to diagnose and treat joint problems. A small camera (arthroscope) is inserted through a tiny incision, projecting images onto a screen that guides the surgeon. It is most commonly performed on the knee, shoulder, hip, ankle, elbow, and wrist. Arthroscopy results in less pain, less scarring, and faster recovery than traditional open surgery.
Meniscus Repair
Meniscus repair stitches a torn meniscus back together rather than cutting out the damaged tissue. The meniscus is the C-shaped cartilage cushion in the knee, and keeping it intact matters — removal raises long-term arthritis risk. Repair works best for tears in the outer zone, where blood supply is good enough for the tissue to actually heal.
Tommy John Surgery (UCL Reconstruction)
Tommy John surgery reconstructs the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) of the elbow — the main stabilizer against the stress of overhead throwing. Named after the pitcher who had the operation in 1974, it replaces a torn UCL with a tendon graft. An estimated one in three MLB pitchers has had the surgery, making it one of the most recognized procedures in sports medicine.
PCL Reconstruction
Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) reconstruction replaces a torn PCL with a tendon graft to restore stability to the knee. The PCL is the strongest ligament in the knee, running diagonally inside the joint and preventing the tibia from sliding backward behind the femur. PCL injuries are less common than ACL tears and frequently occur from a direct blow to the front of the bent knee — a dashboard injury in a car accident, or a hard fall onto the knee in sports. Many PCL tears are treated conservatively, but significant instability or combined ligament injuries typically require reconstruction.
Knee Arthroscopy
Knee arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure in which a surgeon inserts a small camera (arthroscope) into the knee joint through a 1 cm incision and performs repairs through one or two additional small portals. It is used to diagnose and treat a wide range of knee problems: torn meniscus, damaged cartilage, loose bone fragments, inflamed synovial tissue, and ligament injuries. Over a million knee arthroscopy procedures are performed each year in the US. Most are done as outpatient surgery and take under an hour.
ORIF (Open Reduction Internal Fixation)
Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) is a surgical technique used to repair broken bones that cannot be treated with a cast or external splint alone. The surgeon makes an incision, manually repositions the bone fragments (reduction), and secures them with metal hardware — plates, screws, rods, or wires — that stays in the body permanently. ORIF is used for fractures that are displaced, unstable, involve a joint surface, or have failed non-surgical management. Common sites include the ankle, wrist, tibia, femur, humerus, clavicle, and acetabulum.
MPFL Reconstruction
MPFL reconstruction (medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction) restores the primary soft-tissue restraint that prevents the kneecap from dislocating outward. The MPFL runs from the inner side of the kneecap to the femur and is torn in virtually every acute patellar dislocation. When the ligament fails to heal correctly after one or more dislocations, the kneecap remains prone to giving way. The surgeon reconstructs the MPFL using a tendon graft — typically the gracilis or semitendinosus from the same knee, or occasionally an allograft — fixed to the patella and femur with suture anchors or an interference screw. The procedure is often combined with tibial tubercle osteotomy (TTO) when the tibial tubercle is significantly lateralized.
MCL Reconstruction
MCL reconstruction is a surgical procedure to restore the medial collateral ligament — the ligament on the inner side of the knee that resists valgus (outward) stress. While most isolated MCL tears heal without surgery, severe or chronic MCL injuries combined with other ligament damage (ACL, PCL, or posterolateral corner) often require surgical reconstruction using a tissue graft to replace or reinforce the damaged ligament.
Shoulder
7 proceduresRotator Cuff Repair
CommonRotator cuff repair is a surgical procedure to reattach a torn tendon in the shoulder to the upper arm bone (humerus). The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles and tendons that stabilize the shoulder joint. Repairs are most commonly performed arthroscopically through small incisions. Over 300,000 rotator cuff repairs are performed annually in the US.
Shoulder Replacement
Shoulder replacement (shoulder arthroplasty) is a surgical procedure that replaces damaged parts of the shoulder joint with artificial components. There are two main types: anatomic (total) shoulder replacement and reverse shoulder replacement. Reverse replacement has become increasingly popular for patients with rotator cuff tears combined with arthritis. Over 100,000 shoulder replacements are performed annually in the US.
Bankart Repair (Shoulder Labrum)
Bankart repair reattaches the torn front portion of the shoulder labrum — the fibrocartilage ring that deepens the socket and keeps the joint stable. It's the standard surgery for recurrent shoulder dislocations after the labrum tears off the glenoid. Compared to physical therapy alone, repair cuts redislocation rates dramatically.
SLAP Repair (Shoulder Labrum)
A SLAP repair reattaches or trims the superior labrum of the shoulder — the cartilage at the top of the socket where the biceps tendon inserts. SLAP stands for Superior Labrum Anterior to Posterior. These tears are most common in overhead athletes: baseball pitchers, swimmers, volleyball players. They also happen from a fall onto an outstretched arm.
Biceps Tenodesis
Biceps tenodesis is a procedure that detaches the long head of the biceps tendon from its origin at the shoulder socket (the superior labrum) and reattaches it to the upper arm bone (humerus). It is performed to treat a chronically painful or damaged biceps tendon — most commonly in conjunction with rotator cuff repair, but also as a standalone procedure for isolated biceps tendinopathy or SLAP tears that have not responded to conservative treatment.
Reverse Shoulder Replacement
Reverse total shoulder replacement flips the normal ball-and-socket geometry: a metal ball is fixed to the shoulder blade and the socket component attaches to the upper arm bone. This design lets the deltoid muscle (not the rotator cuff) power shoulder elevation. The procedure was engineered for rotator cuff tear arthropathy, where advanced arthritis develops alongside an irreparable rotator cuff tear. Conventional shoulder replacement fails in these patients; reverse replacement routinely restores the ability to lift the arm overhead.
Acromioplasty (Subacromial Decompression)
Acromioplasty reshapes the underside of the acromion (the bony arch over the shoulder) to create more space for the rotator cuff tendons beneath it. Bone spurs and thickened bursa narrow this space over time and pinch the tendons with overhead movement. The procedure is arthroscopic, performed through small incisions, and frequently combined with rotator cuff repair or biceps tenodesis when those structures are also damaged.
Spine
8 proceduresSpinal Fusion
Spinal fusion is a surgical procedure that permanently joins two or more vertebrae in the spine, eliminating motion between them. Bone graft material is placed between the vertebrae, and metal hardware (screws, rods, plates) holds them in place while the bone heals and fuses. It is performed to treat spinal instability, severe degenerative disc disease, spondylolisthesis, scoliosis, and fractures.
Laminectomy (Spinal Decompression)
A laminectomy removes the lamina — the back portion of a vertebra — to open up the spinal canal and take pressure off the nerves. It's one of the most common spine operations, used for spinal stenosis, herniated discs, and nerve compression. The approach works in the lumbar (lower back), cervical (neck), or thoracic (mid-back) spine depending on where the problem is.
Lumbar Disc Replacement
Lumbar disc replacement swaps a degenerated or herniated disc for an artificial implant designed to absorb shock and preserve movement — rather than locking the vertebrae together as fusion does. It's an option for select patients with single-level lumbar disc disease causing back and leg pain who want to keep motion at that level.
Microdiscectomy
Microdiscectomy removes the portion of a herniated disc pressing on a spinal nerve root. Using a small incision and a surgical microscope, the surgeon can work without disturbing much of the surrounding tissue. It's one of the most common spine operations, with success rates above 90% for relieving the leg pain caused by disc herniation.
ACDF (Cervical Disc Surgery)
ACDF removes a damaged cervical disc from the front of the neck and fuses the two adjacent vertebrae. It's the most common cervical spine surgery in the US, used for herniated discs and bone spurs causing neck pain, arm pain, numbness, or weakness. A bone graft and titanium plate hold the vertebrae while they fuse.
Vertebroplasty & Kyphoplasty
Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty are minimally invasive procedures that stabilize painful vertebral compression fractures by injecting bone cement into the collapsed vertebra through a needle. Vertebroplasty injects cement directly; kyphoplasty first inflates a small balloon to create a cavity and partially restore vertebral height before the cement goes in. Both often control the severe back pain these fractures cause within days. They are most commonly used for osteoporotic fractures in elderly patients and for fractures from spinal tumors.
SI Joint Fusion
SI joint fusion is a minimally invasive procedure that permanently stabilizes the sacroiliac joint (where the sacrum meets the pelvis) by placing titanium implants across it. Bone grows in around the implants and fuses the joint over about a year. It is performed when SI joint dysfunction causes chronic lower back and buttock pain that has not responded to physical therapy and injections. Modern techniques use 2-3 small implants placed through a single lateral incision under fluoroscopic guidance.
Cervical Disc Replacement
Cervical disc replacement (cervical arthroplasty) removes a damaged disc in the neck and replaces it with an artificial disc implant that allows continued motion at that spinal level. It is an alternative to anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) for selected patients. The procedure is performed through a small incision at the front of the neck. Multiple randomized trials have shown disc replacement preserves motion and produces equivalent or better outcomes than fusion at 7-10 year follow-up, with lower rates of adjacent-level disease.
Hand
7 proceduresCarpal Tunnel Release
CommonCarpal tunnel release is a surgical procedure that cuts the transverse carpal ligament to relieve pressure on the median nerve in the wrist. It is one of the most common hand surgeries, performed when carpal tunnel syndrome does not respond to splinting, injections, or activity modification. The procedure has a success rate of over 90% and can be performed open or endoscopically.
Trigger Finger Release
Trigger finger release cuts the first annular (A1) pulley — the tight band causing the flexor tendon to catch and lock — so the tendon can glide freely again. It's the go-to surgery when corticosteroid injections haven't solved the problem. The procedure takes under 15 minutes and works in over 95% of cases.
Cubital Tunnel Release
Cubital tunnel release decompresses the ulnar nerve at the elbow, where it runs through a narrow channel on the inside of the joint. The ulnar nerve controls the ring and little fingers and the small muscles of the hand. When compressed, it causes numbness, tingling, and weakness — cubital tunnel syndrome. Surgery either widens the channel by cutting the ligament over the nerve, or moves the nerve to a less confined position.
Thumb CMC Arthroplasty
Thumb CMC arthroplasty removes the trapezium bone at the base of the thumb and rebuilds the joint using a tendon graft or implant. It's the most common surgery for basal joint arthritis — the wear-and-tear arthritis at the thumb base that causes a deep aching pain with pinching and gripping. The condition is more common in women and tends to develop after age 50.
Dupuytren's Fasciectomy
Dupuytren's fasciectomy removes the thickened fibrous tissue (diseased fascia) in the palm that pulls the fingers into a bent position. In Dupuytren's contracture, cords of abnormal collagen form under the skin of the palm, progressively drawing the ring and small fingers toward the palm. Fasciectomy is the most established surgical treatment: the surgeon excises the diseased cords through an incision in the palm, releasing the finger contracture. Needling (percutaneous aponeurotomy) and collagenase injection (Xiaflex) are less invasive alternatives but have higher recurrence rates.
De Quervain's Release
De Quervain's release is a minor outpatient procedure that opens the fibrous sheath (first dorsal compartment) at the wrist that compresses the tendons controlling thumb movement. In De Quervain's tenosynovitis, the extensor pollicis brevis and abductor pollicis longus tendons become inflamed and restricted within their tunnel, causing pain on the thumb side of the wrist with gripping and pinching. When a 4-6 month course of splinting, activity modification, and corticosteroid injections fails, release of the compartment roof relieves the compression entirely.
Ganglion Cyst Removal
Ganglion cyst excision removes a benign, fluid-filled sac that grows from a joint capsule or tendon sheath, most commonly on the back or front of the wrist. Ganglion cysts are the most common soft-tissue mass in the hand and wrist, accounting for about 60-70% of all such lumps. The cyst contains thick synovial fluid and is connected to the underlying joint by a pedicle (stalk). They are not cancerous and do not require removal unless they cause pain, nerve compression, or functional limitations. Surgery is recommended after aspiration (needle drainage) has failed or the cyst has recurred.
Foot & Ankle
8 proceduresTotal Ankle Replacement
Total ankle replacement swaps out the damaged ankle joint for a metal and plastic implant while keeping ankle motion intact. It's an alternative to fusion for end-stage ankle arthritis. Third-generation implants have made a real difference in outcomes and durability, and the procedure has grown to over 15,000 cases annually in the US.
Bunion Surgery (Hallux Valgus Correction)
Bunion surgery corrects the bony deformity at the base of the big toe — where the joint drifts outward and creates that painful bump on the side of the foot. The surgeon cuts and repositions the bone, then secures it with screws or plates. Minimally invasive techniques have become much more common, offering smaller incisions and faster recovery than older open procedures.
Achilles Tendon Repair
Achilles tendon repair stitches a ruptured Achilles back together — the large tendon connecting the calf muscles to the heel bone. Most ruptures happen during a sudden push-off movement in sport. The torn ends are sutured through a small incision behind the ankle. Patients who have surgery tend to re-rupture less often and return to sport faster than those treated non-operatively.
Ankle Fusion (Arthrodesis)
Ankle fusion permanently joins the tibia and talus by removing the remaining cartilage and fixing the bones together with screws until they grow into one solid unit. All ankle motion is gone afterward, but so is the pain. Arthroscopic ankle fusion uses smaller incisions and generally has a shorter recovery than open surgery.
Plantar Fasciitis Surgery
Plantar fasciitis surgery releases the tight plantar fascia at the heel to relieve chronic heel pain that has not responded to months of conservative treatment. The plantar fascia is a thick band of tissue running from the heel bone to the base of the toes; when it becomes inflamed and thickened, every step — especially the first in the morning — produces sharp heel pain. The vast majority of cases resolve without surgery, but about 5-10% of patients end up candidates when conservative measures fail after 6-12 months.
Hammertoe Correction Surgery
Hammertoe correction surgery straightens a toe that has developed a fixed downward bend at the middle joint. Depending on the deformity, the procedure removes a small section of bone from the bent joint to allow it to flatten (arthroplasty), fuses the joint in a straight position with a pin or implant (arthrodesis), or reroutes a tendon to restore balance in flexible cases. It is typically done as an outpatient procedure under local anesthesia and is often combined with other foot corrections such as bunion repair.
Broström Procedure
The Broström procedure is the standard surgical reconstruction for chronic lateral ankle instability. After ankle sprains that haven't healed properly, the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) and often the calcaneofibular ligament (CFL) remain stretched and lax, causing the ankle to give way repeatedly during activity. The surgeon directly repairs these ligaments by shortening and reattaching them to the fibula, restoring their tension. A modification (Gould modification) reinforces the repair with a flap of the inferior extensor retinaculum. The procedure produces lasting stability in 85-90% of patients at long-term follow-up.
Ankle Arthroscopy
Ankle arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure in which a surgeon inserts a small camera into the ankle joint through two or three 5mm incisions and treats problems using instruments passed through the same portals. It is used to address anterior ankle impingement (bone spurs blocking motion), cartilage lesions on the talus (osteochondral defects), loose bodies, synovitis, and chronic scar tissue. The ankle joint is smaller and less forgiving than the knee, which makes arthroscopy technically demanding — outcomes are strongly correlated with surgeon volume. Most procedures are outpatient and take 45-90 minutes.
General
2 proceduresTennis Elbow Surgery (Lateral Epicondyle Release)
Tennis elbow surgery releases or removes the damaged portion of the extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB) tendon where it attaches to the lateral epicondyle — the bony prominence on the outer elbow. In lateral epicondylosis, repetitive wrist extension and gripping cause the tendon origin to degenerate rather than truly inflame; the tissue develops micro-tears and abnormal collagen that do not heal. Surgery removes this degenerated tissue and stimulates a healing response. The procedure can be done open (a small incision), arthroscopically, or percutaneously depending on surgeon preference and anatomy.
Latarjet Procedure
The Latarjet procedure is a surgical treatment for chronic anterior shoulder instability, particularly when the glenoid (shoulder socket) has lost bone from repeated dislocations. The surgeon transfers a piece of bone — the coracoid process — along with its attached conjoint tendon to the front of the glenoid. This does two things simultaneously: it rebuilds the missing bone on the socket rim to restore the "bony bumper" that prevents the humeral head from slipping forward, and the sling effect of the conjoint tendon across the front of the shoulder provides a dynamic restraint. The Latarjet is one of the most durable shoulder stabilization procedures available, with recurrence rates under 5% at long-term follow-up.
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