Discussion Group: Artificial Joint Replacement
Great advances have been made in joint replacement since the first hip replacement was performed in the United States in 1969. Improvements have been made in the endurance and compatibility of materials used and the surgical techniques to install artificial joints. Custom joints can be made using a mould of the original joint that duplicates the original with a very high degree of accuracy.
The most common joints to be replaced are hips and knees. There is ongoing work on elbow, shoulder and wrist replacement, but some joint problems are still treated with joint resection or interpositional reconstruction.
70% of joint replacements are performed because arthritis has caused the joint to be stiff & painful and the joint does not respond to conservative treatments.
New and novel ideas to satisfy the requirements for total joint arthroplasty are being developed using computer simulation techniques, but significant advances in prosthesis developments are expected to arrive through a combination of new materials and innovative designs. The main purpose of this discussion group is to explore all the challenges facing the orthopaedic industry in producing an optimum joint replacement and to examine the potential solutions which would satisfy all the requirements, including the ongoing problems of implant failure, dislocation and wear etc, to achieve longer osteolysis free lifetimes.