Do you really need that knee or hip replacement surgery?
Do you really need hip or knee replacement surgery?
Get a second opinion from Dr. Tony DiGioia, all done from the comfort of your home with results available in less than 1 week.
Dr. Tony DiGioia is a knee and hip arthritis specialist with more than 30 years of clinical experience and has performed over 15,000 joint replacement surgeries.
Upload your X-rays or we can request them from the facility they were taken at directly.
Receive a personalized report with operative or non-operative options and informational treatment plan. This report can be shared with your providers to determine the most appropriate treatment pathway.
Who is Dr. Tony DiGioia?
Dr. Tony DiGioia’s work has focused on coupling emerging technology with improved clinical evaluation and patient care to help individuals with knee and hip arthritis better understand their operative and non-operative treatment options.
This second opinion service is a shared decision-making tool that provides an unbiased consultation that aims to reduce unnecessary surgery, and expand access to expert guidance for more patients. Get an in-depth treatment recommendation that could help you avoid premature surgery and long wait times to see a specialist - all for $50*.
Haven’t seen a doctor for your knee or hip pain yet?
If you have hip and knee pain and would like to have an in office evaluation in the Western PA area, please call Dr. Tony DiGioia’s office at 412-683-7272 for an appointment and mention the Joint Effort Second Opinion program.
If you live outside the area, Dr. Tony DiGioia recommends that you make an appointment with an orthopaedic surgeon in your area.
We also recommend that you review the necessary X-rays that you should get as part of an evaluation and go to: https://www.jointai.co/xray.
If you have any questions at all about whether you are a candidate for the Joint Effort Second Opinion program, just email us at Dr.Tony@jointai.co!
Why should you get a second opinion?
1 out of 5 Joint Replacement Surgeries May be Premature
Studies suggest that every year upwards of 400,000 total knee and total hip replacements may be done earlier than recommended.
*See Additional References
Recommended a different option 60% of the time
A recent study highlights that patients who sought a second opinion for knee or hip arthritis received a different recommendation in up to 60% of the time.
Been told you don’t need joint replacement but pain is still holding you back?
With Dr. D and the Joint Effort Second Opinion, we assess your arthritis using existing X-rays, understand how pain affects your daily life, and help you identify the treatment options best suited to you.
Timing Matters
Patients who undergo TJR too early may not gain the expected significant improvements in their pain relief and mobility and are less satisfied with their outcomes after surgery. In some cases, they may actually have worse outcomes.
Better Preparation = Better Outcomes
Patients who are better prepared for their TJR surgery have faster recoveries and better outcomes.
Alternative Therapies
There may be alternative options for you other than TJR - including home exercises, physical therapy, lifestyle changes, special injections and newer cryotherapy, as well as other alternative pain management programs.
Additional References
J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2020 Jan 13;102(6):468–476. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.19.00432.
Mandl, L. A. Nat. Rev. Rheumatol. advance online publication 12 March 2013; doi:10.1038/nrrheum.2013.27.
Weigl M, Pietzner J, Kisch R, Paulus A, Jansson V, Grill E. Effects of a medical second opinion programme on patients' decision for or against knee arthroplasty and their satisfaction with the programme. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2021 Jun 28;22(1):595. doi: 10.1186/s12891-021-04465-5. PMID: 34182959; PMCID: PMC8240280.
Riddle DL, Jiranek WA, Hayes CW. Use of a validated algorithm to judge the appropriateness of total knee arthroplasty in the United States: a multicenter longitudinal cohort study. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2014 Aug;66(8):2134-43. doi: 10.1002/art.38685. PMID: 24974958; PMCID: PMC4190177.
“When performed at the right time, total joint replacement (TJR) can be a positive, life-changing experience – helping to relieve pain and return you to an active lifestyle.
However, like any surgery, there must be a collaborative partnership between your goals and providers’ knowledge, that weighs the risks and benefits of TJR.”
- Dr. DiGioia.
Complete your full evaluation in a few steps:
1.
Completely online with easy step by step instructions
2.
Complete a short survey with questions about your problem joint.
3.
If you have X-rays, you can upload them or we can request them from the facility they were taken at directly.
4.
Receive personalized results with next steps and education in a 10+ page report.
The final report can be shared with your other providers to determine the most appropriate treatment path.
