Dr. Morris earned his bachelor's degree summa cum laude from the University of San Diego and received his Doctor of Medicine degree from UCLA School of Medicine in 1990. After medical school, Dr. Morris completed his surgical internship and orthopedic surgery residency training at the University of Southern California (LAC/USC Medical Center).
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
Joint replacement surgery involves replacing a destroyed joint
with an artificial joint. In knee or hip replacement surgery, the
artificial joint is made out of metal and plastic. In the case of
joint replacement in the hand, the new joint is most commonly
composed of silicone rubber or the patient's own tissues such as a portion of
tendon.
Joint replacement surgery, also known as arthroplasty, is very
common. Each year, orthopedic surgeons perform thousands of joint
replacement surgeries in the U.S. (Most of these procedures are performed on the large weight-bearing joints such as the hips and knees.)
Joint replacement surgery in the hand is typically used in treating
severe arthritis that involves the small joints of the hand.
The hips and knees receive continuous stress from walking,
running, sporting activity, or injury and are more commonly affected
by the wearing of cartilage (degenerative arthritis) than the hand
joints. However, the joints of the hand do experience stress in
everyday use, and because the hand joints are smaller, these stresses
are concentrated over a smaller surface area. The high ratio of
stress to surface area can cause the smooth joint cartilage to wear
over the years. As the cartilage degenerates, the underlying bone
becomes exposed. When the deteriorated joint moves, bone rubs upon
bone causing pain, swelling, limiting motion, and frequently causing
a grinding or popping sensation. Furthermore, forms of arthritis
that are caused by inflammation of the tissues lining the joint
frequently affect the small joints of the hands and wrists to cause
joint destruction. Examples include rheumatoid arthritis and
psoriatic arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints, the tissue around the joints, as well as other organs in the body. Because it can affect multiple other organs of the body, rheumatoid arthritis is referred to as a systemic illness and is sometimes called rheumatoid disease.
Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis caused by inflammation, breakdown, and eventual loss of
cartilage in the joints. Also known as degenerative arthritis. Osteoarthritis
can be caused by aging, heredity, and injury from trauma or disease.
Psoriatic arthritis is a disease that causes skin and joint inflammation. Symptoms include painful, stiff, and swollen joints, tendinitis, and organ inflammation. Treatment involves antiinflammatory medications and exercise.
A total knee replacement is a surgical
procedure whereby the diseased knee joint is replaced with artificial
material. The knee is a hinge joint which provides motion at the
point where the thigh meets the lower leg. The thigh bone (or
femur) abuts the large bone of the lower leg (tibia) at the knee
joint. During a total knee replacement, the end of the femur bone
is removed and replaced with a metal shell. The end of the lower
leg bone (tibia) is also removed and replaced with a channeled
plastic piece with a metal stem. Depending on the condition of
the kneecap portion of the knee joint, a plastic "button"
may also be added under the kneecap surface.
The posterior cruciate ligament is a tissue that normally stabilizes each side of the knee joint so that the lower leg cannot slide backward in relation to the thigh bone. In total knee replacement surgery, this ligament is either retained, sacrificed, or substituted ...
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