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How Long Will A Hip Replacement Implant Last? - Dr. Bates (VIDEO)

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Dr. Bates shares how long a woman’s hip replacement implant is expected to last.

Dr. Bates:
Hip replacements typically last, based on studies, anywhere from probably 15, even out to 30 years, and there may even be implants that are being placed nowadays that might even last longer such as new metal-on-metal implants and ceramic-on-ceramic implants.

The reason implants fail is because the interaction between the two bearing surfaces creates particulate matter that sometimes causes an erosive phenomenon around the implant to allow it to loosen up. That’s usually the means of an implant to fail out at many years after the surgery has been done.

Dislocations are reported after total hip replacements in anywhere from about one to four percent, on average. Now I think some of those dislocation rates have come down with new surgical techniques that do less damage to the deep tissues, as well as some of the implants nowadays have geometries that make the implant somewhat more stable.

But, as a general rule of thumb, a patient undergoing a hip replacement should be aware that it is a possibility at all times and that throughout their life they do have to be aware of certain positions that could be provocative for a dislocation.

Very unusual positions, but they can occur when a patient is not paying attention at doing something or if they are involved in traumatic incident, but again, it’s very rare, but typically it does involve having to go to a hospital or emergency room to have the hip placed back in position.

About Dr. Bates, M.D.:
Dr. James E. Bates, M.D., is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon specializing in joint replacement surgery and sports medicine at Alvarado Hospital. Dr. Bates places his focus in sports medicine and the reconstruction and replacement of damaged bones, joints, and cartilage resulting from sports injuries, traumatic injuries, and tumors of the extremities. He was trained at the Hospital for Special Surgery/Cornell University Medical Center and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. As an orthopedic surgeon, Navy Flight Surgeon, and Navy Diving Medical Officer, he serves as a consultant to the San Diego-based Navy SEAL Teams.

Visit Dr. Bates at the Alvarado Orthopaedic Medical Group

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Hip Fracture

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