Joint Replacement - How Often Do Hips and Knees Need Revision?

Joint replacement is considered a last resort treatment option to relieve arthritis pain and restore function to the affected joint. More conservative treatment options are usually tried before surgery is recommended. When pain is no longer well-controlled and joint damage significantly affects quality of life, joint replacement is a good choice for many patients.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, knee and hip replacement procedures account for 35% of total arthritis-related procedures during hospitalization. Every year in the United States alone, more than 285,000 hip replacements are performed, and the number is expected to double to about 573,000 by the year 2030. More than 300,000 knee replacements are performed, and the number is expected to increase 525% by the year 2030. In 2006, 160,000 hip and knee replacements were performed in England and Wales.

The need for revision (a repeat surgery to repair a failed prosthesis) is a concern for patients facing joint replacement surgery. Researchers in England, by merging two databases, analyzed revision rates from April 2003 to September 2006. They found that in the 3-year period, 1 in 75 patients required revision of their joint replacement. That was considered to be low -- but researchers also found that the type of joint replacement made a difference. Highest revision rates were experienced by women who had a hip resurfacing procedure (head of femur is not replaced) rather than total hip replacement surgery. For those who had undergone knee surgery, the highest revision rates were among those who had a specific type of knee replacement -- a unicondylar knee replacement (only the damaged part of the knee is replaced). There also was no link between a patient's age and revision rates for hip replacements. But, for knee replacement, revision rates decreased strongly with age. Hip resurfacing and unicondylar knee replacements are newer procedures. More research will indicate whether or not they require more frequent revision than total joint replacement procedures.

Related Resources

• Birmingham Hip Resurfacing System
• Total Knee Replacement - What You Need to Know
• Total Hip Replacement - What You Need to Know
• Joint Replacement Screening Quiz - When Is the Right Time?

_{Photo by Jasmin Awad (iStockphoto)}