Total Hip Replacement Safe in Patients Over 90

A study has found that total hip replacement surgery is safe and effective in patients 90 years or older. The results were reported in the March 2003 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

The most rapidly growing segment of the US population is the group 85 years and older. As the number of older people increases, so does the number of those who will require total hip replacement in their 90s. Moreover, other patients who are 90 and older will require a second total hip replacement. To determine how safe and effective this surgery is among this age group, researchers reviewed the medical records of 65 patients, 90 years or older.

Although the findings showed there were medical and surgical complications, these seldom compromised the outcome of the operation. However, patients in this category are apt to have other medical conditions such as hypertension or anemia, which can make surgery more challenging. For this reason, doctors need to monitor these patients carefully for complications in the early postoperative period.

"Primary-care physicians and surgeons should be aware that both primary and revision total hip replacement can be done safely and effectively in patients 90 years and older and can result in years of pain relief and functional improvement,” said Mark Pagnano, M.D., orthopedic surgeon at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN, USA) and the author of the study. "In our study, the typical patient lived for more than five years after hip replacement and had substantial relief of pain and improvement of function during that period.”




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