Relating to surgical repair or reconstruction of joints; describing procedures that reshape or restore joint function.
From arthro- (joint) + -plastic (from Greek plastikos, relating to molding or formation). This term became prominent in orthopedic surgery in the 20th century as surgeons developed new techniques to rebuild damaged joints.
Joint replacement surgery—arthroplasty—is only about 50 years old, yet it's fundamentally changed aging; our word describes surgery that literally remakes joints, giving people back mobility that evolution never designed to last a human lifetime.
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