Researchers at NDORMS, University of Oxford have examined data from over 100,000 patients who have previously undergone joint replacements to enable prediction of the likelihood of requiring surgical revision of the joint.
There are an increasing number of patients undergoing total knee and hip joint replacements every year. These have proven beneficial to patients, but with replacement comes the risk that the joint might require subsequent surgical revision which, in turn, can lead to less favourable outcomes.
Their study has shown that while the lifetime risk of joints requiring revision is around 5% in patients who receive joint replacements at aged 70 or above, for men in their early fifties this can rise to over a third. Presenting risk information in this way can allow patients, particularly younger patients, to make more informed decisions about if and when to opt for joint replacement surgery.
Lead Investigator Professor Andrew Price, Prof of Musculoskeletal Sciences at NDORMS confirmed "This work is of great importance for all patients who are considering whether to undergo a joint replacement. It is critical that they have the best information available to make informed decisions and we believe this work is a significant contribution to achieve this goal".
To read the full paper entitled "The effect of Patient Age at Intervention on Risk of Implant Revision after Total Replacement of the Hip or Knee: A population=based cohort study" can be read here.