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Hip Replacement Improves Function at Any Age DURHAM, NC -- June 17, 2008 -- Elderly patients with osteoarthritis who undergo total hip replacement are twice as likely as those who do not to show improvements in physical functioning and increased ability to care for themselves, according to researchers at Duke University Medical Center. The study, which is the largest of its kind conducted to date, found that there is no age limit on the benefits of hip replacement for patients. "Osteoarthritis of the hip has a devastating impact on a patient's quality and length of life. Our study aimed to understand how total hip replacements affect tasks people do in their everyday lives, such as bathing, dressing, walking a few blocks, shopping, and preparing meals," said Linda George, PhD, Duke Center for the Study of Aging, Durham, North Carolina. "We found that total hip arthroplasty improves everyday life for patients and is as beneficial to people in their 80s or 90s as it is for someone in their 60s," noted Dr. George. Patients who were disabled at the time of surgery had transitioned out of disability within 1 year of the procedure. Total hip replacement is an invasive treatment with a long rehabilitation period. According to Dr. George, this may help explain why physicians are less likely to present surgery as an option to those patients aged 85 years and older and why there may be some reluctance among patients to choose the procedure. "While the number of surgeries conducted in the [United States] has increased dramatically over the last decade, fewer than 25% of patients who could benefit from the procedure elect to receive it." "Physicians are less likely to present this option to the very old," Dr. George continued, "but they should feel confident in recommending this procedure to those who are eligible for it." "We know that hip replacements are relatively safe and reports have shown a very high rate of patient satisfaction due to reduced pain and increased range of motion," she added. SOURCE: The Institute for Health Technology Studies E-mail this page to a friend or colleague! To print, use this version