Nearly half a million hip and knee replacements are performed each year in the U.S. using conventional metal/plastic prostheses. Although these procedures have yielded positive results, over the years, the artificial joints can become loose and unstable, requiring a revision (repeat) surgery.
These issues, coupled with the facts that increasing numbers of younger and more active patients are receiving total joint replacements and that older patients are living longer, have challenged the orthopaedic industry to try to extend the life cycle of total joint replacements.
Recent improvements in surgical techniques and instrumentation will help to further the success of your treatment. The availability of advanced materials, such as titanium and ceramic prostheses and new plastic joint liners, provides orthopaedic surgeons with options that may help to increase the longevity of the prosthesis.