Smokers Much More Likely than Nonsmokers to have Hip and Knee Replacement Failures, Complications

Smokers are much more likely than nonsmokers to experience failures and complications after total joint replacement surgery, according to two new studies presented earlier this year at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ annual meeting in San Francisco, Calif.

In a study looking at total knee replacements, researchers showed smokers had a 10-fold higher [...]

Metal-on-metal Hip Implants Plagued with High Failure Rates

The authors of a new scientific study are calling for a ban on the use of stemmed metal-on-metal hip implants, which have been used in many total hip replacement patients, worldwide.

This study, published March 12, 2012 in The Lancet, comes only days after the U.K. government’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency announced [...]

Scientific Evidence Lacking for Long-term Safety, Effectiveness of Knee Replacement Implants

There are hundreds of thousands of knee replacements performed each year in the U.S. alone, yet little is known about the long-term safety and effectiveness of the implants used for total knee replacements worldwide, according to a seminar published March 5, 2012 in The Lancet.

There are many types of knee replacement implants available [...]

Sharp Rise in Total Knee Replacement Surgeries over Last Decade

New total knee replacement statistics show rates for the surgery are soaring. With drastically increasing rates in the numbers of total knee replacements, comes the likelihood that the health care system, including patients, orthopedic surgeons, physical therapists and other providers, will need to address growing numbers of complications from the surgery and implants.

According [...]