Hip and knee replacements are recommended for over 150,000 patients every year in the UK, and they are proven to improve mobility, quality of life and reduce pain for many people who are struggling with issues affecting their original joints. They have been practiced by surgeons for decades and are very successful, but as with everything, over time they can be subject to continued wear and tear and can begin to deteriorate.
Issues with hip implant dislocation and the subsequent challenges this brings
For patients who have undergone a total hip replacement, one of the issues that they could face in the years following the surgery is dislocation of the replacement joint and as a result, surgeons are always looking for methods, techniques and materials that can help reduce the risk of implant dislocation.
Dislocation is an issue that is more prevalent in patients who have had more than one hip replacement, a process known as ‘revision surgery’. There is now a new type of artificial hip joint called a ‘modular dual mobility’ joint, which has been proven to reduce the risk of revision surgery as a result of dislocation.
A report published recently by an orthopaedic hospital in the US explains the difference of a modular dual mobility joint and how this compares more favourably to the traditional method: “Modular dual mobility implants provide an additional bearing surface compared to a traditional implant. With the dual mobility hip, a large polyethylene plastic head fits inside a polished metal hip socket component, and an additional smaller metal or ceramic head is snap-fit within the polyethylene head.”
The findings of this new report are from a study undertaken by Dr Geoffrey Westrich and his colleagues at the Hospital for Special Surgery, a leading academic medical centre for musculoskeletal health. The study comprised data from 370 patients who underwent revision hip surgery and had a dual mobility implant. Data was collected between April 2011 and April 2017. The research assessed data from a variety of different perspectives, including clinical information, radiographic data and patient reported-outcome information.
Impact for Mr Bridle’s hip replacement patients
Mr Bridle is in support of the benefits of using a dual mobility sockets, with the first-hand experience of the benefits this brings to his patients. He agrees that the greater risk of instability seen with high risk and more complex revisions is reduced when using this type of socket. Not only are these sockets better for those who are at risk of revision surgery. Mr Bridle also favours this type of artificial joint when treating patients who are undergoing total hip replacement for the first time but who have one or more factors which put them in a higher risk category. Risk factors that mean patients would benefit more from a modular dual mobility joint include conditions such as chronic back problems, spinal fusion or certain neurological conditions.
For more information on dual mobility hip replacements, call 020 8947 9524 to arrange a consultation.
