Knee/hip replacement options improve drastically

SALT LAKE CITY — If the human body were a machine, it would be among the most efficient and well designed ever developed. But even the best maintained machines in the world require a few replacement parts after years of normal use and wear.

And sometimes, so does the body.

Knee and hip replacements are becoming more common as people age, but some younger patients who live more active lives are also finding themselves in need of new joints. The everyday literal grind causes joints to wear excessively, which can spur medical intervention.

"There is definitely a trend toward patients who are younger and younger who need joint replacement," said Dr. Rhett Hallows, surgeon with the Intermountain Orthopedic Specialty Group at LDS Hospital.

Questions about issues people should be aware of regarding knee/hip replacement will be answered from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday during the monthly Deseret News/Intermountain Healthcare Hotline.

Orthopedic surgeons Hallows and Dr. Brandon Ferney with Intermountain Healthcare will answer calls.

From the Salt Lake area, call 801-236-6061. Elsewhere, the toll-free number is 800-925-8177.

Hallows said the patient population needing joint replacement in Utah is distinctly different due to the state's active outdoor lifestyle.

"Generally patients here are a little bit more fit and oftentimes a little younger than what you see in other places," he said.

Many older patients still need joints replaced as they get along in years, Hallows noted, but technology has advanced so much that outcomes are dramatically improved for almost everyone, no matter their age.

"It used to be that people tried to put replacement off as long as possible because (the replacement joints) generally only last five or 10 years," he said. "The implants we use today are better and joints last longer, so people feel more comfortable putting them in a younger patient population."

Hallows also attributed the rise in joint replacements overall, in part, to the increase in obesity, which takes its toll on joints over time.

He estimated that current knee and hip replacement joints can last as many as 20 years depending upon the amount of stress put on the implant by the patient.

"The more you use it, the quicker it's going to wear out," Hallows said.

Following surgery, patients are advised against engaging in activities that involve heavy running or jogging, but they are encouraged to begin normal walking and other low-impact activities right away.

"We tell people they can play doubles tennis, recreation racquetball, downhill ski, cycle or swim," he said.

The cost of a typical knee or hip replacement is in the $30,000 to $40,000 range, Hallows estimated, with recovery taking several weeks and including intense physical therapy in most cases.

Hotline on Saturday

Issues people should be aware of regarding knee/hip replacement are the topic of Saturday's Deseret News/Intermountain Healthcare Hotline. From 10 a.m. to noon, orthopedic surgeons Dr. Rhett Hallows and Dr. Brandon Ferney of Intermountain Healthcare will answer questions from callers.

From the Salt Lake area, call 801-236-6061. Elsewhere, the toll-free number is 800-925-8177, only operational during hotline hours.

e-mail: jlee@desnews.com