Union Hospital is offering a free informative program about joint replacement surgery on Thursday, August 11, from 7-8 p.m. in the hospital auditorium. Dr. Darren Kuczynksi, an orthopaedic surgeon with the Dover Orthopaedic Center in Dover, will present information about the risks and benefits of surgery and describe the latest surgical techniques being used in joint replacement.

According to Pam Dummermuth, Union Hospital community health and wellness coordinator, joint replacement surgery has become more and more common in the U.S. in recent years, thanks, in part, to surgical and post-surgery therapy innovations resulting in decreased downtime.

“Most of us know someone who has undergone joint replacement surgery,” she said. “The majority of these surgeries are performed on individuals who suffer from osteoarthritis. Those who have suffered a joint injury or who are living with genetic disorders affecting the joints also may benefit from joint replacement.”

While the majority of joint replacement surgeries involve the knee or hip, other joints that can be replaced include the shoulders, fingers, ankles, and elbows.

Reservations for this event may be made by visiting http://www.unionhospital.org under “health events” or by calling the hospital’s community relations office during business hours at 330-602-0778.