Women seem to fare less favorably than men following total hip replacement surgery, according to a large medical analysis conducted in California.
Researchers who studied more than 35,000 cases of artificial hip implants found that women have a slightly higher risk of implant failure compared with men regardless of the type of device that was implanted. Hip implants are medical devices, made from a range of materials designed to restore mobility and relieve pain associated with arthritis or injuries.
These findings have been unsupported in past literature, but may have a cause beyond the implant – the patient’s surgical timeline.
In a 2011 study, experts found that women suffering with joint pain tended to wait longer before hip- or knee-joint replacement surgery. The same study found that women tend to report greater pain than men before surgery.
Ultimately, joint replacements are a very successful operation that can provides a lot of relief to patients. The information should not dissuade patients from hip-replacement surgery, but it should encourage them to do their research and talk with their orthopaedic surgeon before committing to a surgery.
Finding an experienced joint replacement surgeon can significantly lower your risk of medical complications.