WebMD Pulse

Thinking about getting a new knee next year?

New research says that knee replacement equipment has been lasting longer than originally estimated. Patients who had total knee replacement (TKR) were still going strong after 20 years, even jogging or playing tennis, researchers report.

This is good news for younger patients that have put off surgery believing the equipment would not last into later years. Until recently, most patients who have undergone TKR have been age 60 to 80.

One Member from our Knee & Hip Replacement Community says he needs daily medication for his pain. “My current surgeon, who I trust, says he really doesn’t want to replace it (knee) until I’m 55, because the appliance isn’t guaranteed to work the entire rest of my life.”

However, with equipment now lasting longer, our expert , Bal M Rajagopalan, M.D., (known by his patients as Dr Raj), a double board-certified (American and Canadian) orthopedic surgeon in Beverly Hills, Calif. shares, “Many surgeons, including myself, believe you should not waste good years through suffering, and we also have great technology now to help with this.”

Wondering what type of knee replacement product you should choose?  Community Member, _Swank_, says, “In my opinion, you should choose a good surgeon and let him decide which implant to use. They are experts on knowing the best fit for their patients.”

Dr. Raj agrees. “The surgeon is much more important than the implant,” he says. “There are many types of implants, and many opinions on what is best, but generally, they are all good. Find a surgeon who you trust, and then let him explain to you what he is putting in and why, and then trust him to do what is best!”

Have you been putting off a knee replacement surgery because you thought it wouldn’t last?  If you have your own questions and need some feedback, join in on our Knee & Hip Replacement Community and join in!

By Coree Silvera