The Evolution of Joint Replacements

by: Douglas M. Joseph, MD

This year, about 800,000 people in the US will have either a hip or knee replacement. Total hip and knee “survival” or success is estimated by The Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery to be greater than 90% in several twenty-five year follow up studies.

The Evolution of Joint Replacements

We’ve come along way since 1963 when John Charnley, MD started the Total Hip Joint Replacement era when his article titled Low Friction Arthroplasty was published in the British Medical Journal The Lancet. For this work, Dr. Charnley was later knighted by the Queen of England.

About ten years later at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City,  John Insall, MD and Chitranhan Ranawat, MD collaborated on the development of the Total Knee Replacement, as reported in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery in 1974.

We pass on these landmark articles to you to inform you about the historic start of two procedures that have changed the lives of so many patients suffering from hip and knee arthritis.

Design changes over the years have improved our long term results. No longer is it true that these procedures “only last for ten years.” That was true back in the 1980’s but is now incorrect.

New Hampshire Orthopaedic Center’s Total Joint Team

We here in the total joint team at New Hampshire Orthopaedic Center specialize in these procedures. We are fellowship trained and keep up with the latest developments in our ever-changing field. You can be confident that you will have the very best care and success when you have your hip or knee replaced by one of our excellent surgeons.

This month’s journal is dedicated to you, our patients. We want to highlight articles on the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons website that will help you understand the hip and knee replacement procedures you may need to eliminate your pain.

As we say here at the New Hampshire Orthopaedic Center, “We Keep Bodies In Motion.”

Resources

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons OrthoInfo:

Total Hip Replacement

Total Knee Replacement