Although joint replacements are now routine, they are not fail-safe, reports Lesley Alderman in the Patient Money column.

Implants must sometimes be replaced, said Dr. Henrik Malchau, an orthopaedic surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. A study published in 2007 found that 7 percent of hips implanted in Medicare patients had to be replaced within seven and a half years.

The percentage may sound low, but the finding suggests that thousands of hip patients eventually require a second operation, said Dr. Malchau. Those patients must endure additional recoveries, often painful, and increased medical expenses.

Read More: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/02/getting-joint-replacements-right/

The bodies of many older Americans are practically bionic: more than 770,000 hip and knee replacements are performed each year in the United States.

Now another aging joint is fast becoming a candidate for replacement. This year, 4,400 patients are expected to undergo surgery to replace arthritic or injured ankles with artificial joints made of metal alloys and lightweight plastic, according to industry estimates.

Four models are commonly used in the United States, with Food and Drug Administration approval. And demand is expected to grow as more and more baby boomers hobble into their 60s and 70s with debilitating ankle pain.

Read More: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/18/ankles-gain-as-candidates-for-joint-replacement/

“In a year I can lose whole parts of my body… I might lose my foot this year,” says Emma Suddaby, who is facing a battle with a very aggressive form of arthritis.

At 22, she was healthy and fit. Then one day, she woke up with a sore knee and was hospitalised as doctors battled to control the aggressive onset of what later turned out to be rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease of the auto-immune system. Emma’s immune system does not recognise her own tissue and attacks everything it sees.

Read More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8338548.stm
BBC Inside Out: Emma’s Story: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00nrxtl

Hopefully you are lucky enough to be in a territory that actually allows you to see the corresponding video. (Apparently globalization no longer applies to the internet – one of the most global things in existence today!)

I try to remember all of the things I promised to follow-up on. One of them is sharing the things I learned along this journey, specifically related to the medical treatment of getting total knee replacements. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but they’re the most important points I am still thinking about at almost five weeks post-surgery.

Read More: http://newkneesforlisa.blogspot.com/2009/10/beforeduringafter-helpful-hints-from.html.

Lisa, what a great resource – thank you for putting this together!

Lisa has done a great job of documenting the insurance and financial challenges during the lead up to her surgery. If you are not already familiar with this blog, please do take a look. Lisa also promises twitter updates from the hospital during her recovery and rehab.

www.edheads.org/activities/knee/index.htm

Virtual Knee Surgery: Take on the role of the Surgeon throughout a total knee replacement surgery.

Choose the Prosthetic: In this exciting new activity, you get to diagnose 5 different knee replacement patients.

Thanks for sharing the link to the virtual knee surgery, Lisa. I wish you the best for tomorrow, and I will be looking forward to your updates!