An annual report has been released showing the outcomes of joint replacement procedures.
The report was published yesterday (15 September) by the National Joint Registry, and covers England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the States of Guernsey.
Its authors state that there have been “continued successful outcomes” for hip, knee, ankle, elbow and shoulder joint replacements.
The number of joint replacements is continually rising, with just under a quarter of a million records submitted to the registry in 2019.
It shows that 90% of hip replacements and 98% of knee replacements were to treat osteoarthritis.
Greater numbers of these operations were carried out in women than men, which is in line with the rise in cases of osteoarthritis in women.
The authors also add that most hip or knee replacements in patients over the age of 75 will last for the rest of their lives.
Medical director of the registry, Mr Tim Wilton, said: “The National Joint Registry is the largest and most comprehensive national audit of joint replacement surgery in the world. The data in this report enables multiple stakeholders, the most important being patients, to see the outcome performance of implants and consider patient-related factors that influence outcome.”
He gave thanks to all joint replacement patients who allowed their procedure details to be recorded, “which provides data for the important analysis contained in the report. This in turn enables a more informed decision-making process for future joint replacement patients and also serves to improve performance outcomes.”
The report was launched at the British Orthopaedic Association’s Online Congress.
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