Hip replacement surgery has long been used to treathip arthritisin elderly patients.
Once reserved for elderly patients,hip replacement surgeryis becoming more common in the younger, active population.
How Young Is Too Young?
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The primary problem in performing hip replacement surgery in younger patients is the concern of wearing out the implant.
Developments in manufacturing have sought to reduce the magnitude of this problem, but it is a concern.
Furthermore, the amount of wear to a hip replacement is related to the activity level of the patient.
As you might expect, the usual activities of the average 30-year-old are different from the average 80-year-old.
Therefore, young patients with joint replacements should be cautious and perform only suggested activities.
What we do not know is hownewer implantsmay affect thelongevity of a hip replacement.
Most studies looking at how long hip implants last are evaluating traditional metal and plastic replacements.
Newer implants made of all metal or ceramic have shown better results in laboratory testing.
Are Newer Implants Better?
Many new joint replacement implants are constantly being developed.
The goal of any new implant is that it will be more reliable and more durable than preceding implants.
While this is a terrific goal, the bottom line is that it is not always the case.
Patients often want advice aboutwhich implant is best, or if newer implants are better.
These are difficult questions to answer, and there is no perfect solution.
Young patients are rightfully concerned about how long their newly implanted joint replacement is likely to last.
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