How long does a hip replacement last?

Total hip replacement surgery is commonly performed to improve one’s mobility in and around the hip area. It is, in the majority of cases, extremely successful.

Here to provide a more in-depth analysis with regards to total hip replacement surgery is highly experienced and expert consultant orthopaedic and trauma surgeon, Mr Syed Ahmed.

What are the main causes of hip replacement failures?

Total hip replacement surgery has been deemed the operation of the century due to excellent outcomes. It is the second most successful surgical operation after cataract surgery for the eye.

A rise in life expectancy and younger patients wanting to lead an active lifestyle will eventually lead to a certain number of failures both in the short and long term. It is therefore very important to know how long a hip replacement will last in order to counsel our patients appropriately. The most common causes of hip replacement failure are loosening, wear, infection and fracture.

What are the main benefits of having total hip replacement surgery?

Hip replacements offer pain-free function and improvement in mobility for a vast majority of patients post operatively. In the majority of patients, this improved, pain-free mobility is lifelong.

How long do hip replacements generally last?

Patients often ask clinicians how long a hip replacement typically lasts. International registry data and case series were analysed by a study published in the Lancet, which showed that over 50 per cent of hip replacements last for up to 25 years. About 75 per cent of them survive between 15 to 20 years.

The National Joint Registry (NJR) data in England and Wales shows that after 10 years, construct survivorship in men is roughly as follows:

• 97% for those aged older than 80 years
• 96% for those aged 60–70 years
• 95% for those aged younger than 60 years

Women have slightly better survivorship at all ages than men. The issue with data series and joint registry collected from elsewhere is that, without individual patient data, it is difficult to draw conclusions without analysing different risk factors involved. Furthermore, failure is defined very differently by various patient groups. One can certainly estimate that 75% of hip replacements will survive around 15-20 years.

Mr Syed Ahmed is a Consultant Hip Surgeon practicing at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells. His clinical interests lie in rapid recovery hip replacement, minimally invasive surgery, complex and revision hip surgery. He has been awarded the Current Concepts in Joint Replacement Scholarship, the European Hip Society Travelling Fellowship and the British Hip Society Fellowship. Book an appointmwent with him today via his Top Doctors profile.