Study: 1 in 75 Require Two Joint Replacements

WASHINGTON—One in 75 joint, knee or hip replacement recipients must get a second replacement within three years, according to new research. According to the Associated Press, the type of joint replacement a patient chooses and a patient’s sex can play a role in whether he/she needs a revision. The type of athletic activity patients engages in after recovery can also effect the need for replacement.

Already, 40,000 knee revisions and 46,000 hip revisions were done in 2004, the latest data available. Knee revisions are expected to increase sevenfold, and hip revisions to more than double, by 2030. Revisions are longer operations, as surgeons hunt for usable bone. They also cost more. A hip replacement averages $35,000, compared with $45,000 for a revision, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.