An artificial hip or knee prosthesis is not always without problems: sometimes the prosthesis comes loose or becomes damaged. Then replacement is necessary. This happens in one in eight patients and the number is increasing. But the right way of exercising can prevent that.
Hip and knee prostheses are not without problems
More and more artificial knees and hips are being fitted. For example, the number of hip operations has increased by 9% since 2003 and the number of knee operations by approximately 43%. But the number of correction procedures also increased significantly between 2003 and 2009: by 41% for hips and 117% for knees. The most common causes or complaints are:
- loosening of prostheses;
- extra wear and tear due to artificial prostheses;
- infections and fractures.
Loosening artificial joints
The most common reason for exchange surgery is loosening of the joint. This happens when the connection between bone and artificial joint dissolves. Germs may be responsible for this, but often the body itself also gives rise to this. After all, our bone is also living tissue. If bone destruction occurs, the joint that is anchored in it becomes loose.
Wear in artificial joints
Wear and tear can also mean that an exchange is necessary. In that case it has to do with the material type. Hips often use ceramic materials, which means that two ceramic surfaces slide over each other. Ceramic material has the advantage of being very smooth, but unfortunately it is also porous.
Artificial knee joints usually consist of metal parts in combination with a plastic layer of polyethylene located between the metal. The fact that play and wear can go hand in hand is especially clear with polyethylene: earlier variants of the plastic have released particles that have activated the osteoclasts (bone-degrading cells) in the bone.
Plastic layer is often the problem
Osteoclasts are cells responsible for bone resorption. Small plastic particles can end up in the space between joints and bones and promote bone breakdown. The result: the joint becomes loose. The wear must be stopped so that no further play can occur. That is why the plastic was further improved and now has much lower wear.
Infections and fractures
Other causes of replacement surgery include infections and accidents such as fractures. But infections are quite rare. They can manifest themselves immediately or in the longer term, i.e. immediately after an operation or only a year later. The advantage of fractures and infections is that the patient notices this immediately due to the pain. In the event of loosening and wear, the patient may initially have no problems. That is why regular monitoring is very important.
Can you play sports with a joint prosthesis?
In addition to regular check-up consultations, the patient can also help to a certain extent to reduce the risk of recovery operations. Because the placement of a prosthesis is always a two-sided affair. On the one hand, doctors must of course install the prosthesis properly, but on the other hand, the patient is required to actively cooperate.
For example, with a prosthesis one should avoid sports with rapid changes in direction and pace, such as squash. But in no case should the patient completely give up sports activities. Endurance sports work very well. They not only improve muscle functions, it also leads to better conditions for the joint.
Because a lack of exercise can even lead to other problems. A new joint should offer a new quality of life, not take it away! One must therefore be able to practice many types of sports, even with a prosthesis. After all, young patients in particular want to be active, preferably without major limitations. Swimming, cycling, Nordic Walking or sweating on the exercise bike, all these sports are ideal for someone with a joint prosthesis.
How long does an artificial hip last?
An artificial hip should actually last 10 to 15 years. If it is much shorter, that is not a pleasant prospect. After all, artificial hips cannot be replaced indefinitely. The prosthesis fuses with the bone in one year. With such a replacement, the artificial hip must be milled out with a grinder, during which time pieces of bone are also lost. And yet a good piece of bone is needed to attach the new hip.
In case of culpable actions, engage a personal injury lawyer
At the end of 2010, there was suddenly a lot of commotion among wearers of an artificial hip after it became apparent that patients in America and England were experiencing many complaints from their artificial hip. It concerned the prosthesis of a manufacturer that had two defective models recalled in October 2010. Not only did these models wear out faster than expected, the prostheses also released metal swarf that caused infections and pain in the body. A clear example of personal injury, which is now the subject of countless lawyers in the United States.
Surgeons in the Netherlands received many questions from patients in response to these disturbing reports and some hospitals even called prosthetic wearers in for a check-up. It recently emerged that renowned Dutch surgeons are prone to promoting prostheses that have not been sufficiently tested on behalf of manufacturers at conferences and seminars. If persistent complaints are demonstrably due to gross negligence and carelessness, one might consider hiring a personal injury lawyer, as is very common in America.
Replacement of a joint prosthesis
If new surgery is unavoidable at some point, it is often sufficient to replace only part of the joint. Because such implants are modular, which means that they consist of different elements. It is usually sufficient to replace the element that is damaged or causing the complaints.
It must be emphasized that new intervention is not the rule nowadays, even though the trend is increasing. Approximately 12% of operations involving artificial hip and knee joints involve corrections, the remaining 88% are first implants. If you follow the advice of doctors and physiotherapists, exercise correctly and avoid excess weight, you may even be able to extend the lifespan of an artificial hip or knee prosthesis by several years. extend.
