Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Newer Joint Replacements Do Not Hold Up

In October, the Associated Press reported on a British study that concluded that 1 out of 75 hip replacements have to be redone within only 3 years. This figure is about the same in the US, according to Thomas Barber of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Women are much more likely than men to required repeat procedures so soon. “Hip resurfacing” procedures did not do as well as total replacements. Partial knee replacements are popular because more post-op activity is allowed, but they also fared poorly compared to total knees. This should make us lean toward prolotherapy injections, which can sometimes avoid surgery and commonly delay the needs for it considerably.

Associated Press, October 8, 2009.

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