We knew these long term symptomatic relief (quality of life) offered by total joints surgery for quite sometime already. But why isn’t it given as an option to osteoarthritic patients 65 years old and above is not clear either.
This study (” Joint Replacement Surgery in Elderly Patients With Severe Osteoarthritis of the Hip or Knee“) by doctors at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine (Vol. 168 No. 13, July 14, 2008) said so in their conclusion.
Conclusions: Elderly patients who had hip or knee replacements for severe OA took several weeks to recover but experienced excellent long-term outcomes. Physicians often do not discuss joint replacement surgery with elderly patients who might benefit.
So how many physicians actually give the option of Hip or Knee Surgery to patients with severe osteoarthritis?Or even discuss the option to their patients? Is it the cost?The knowledge about the surgery?Outcomes?
If ever you need information on this, the author will freely discuss this options with you, their physicians.
