Hip Implants Needing Replacement among Medicare Patients - Percentage of

From StatWiki

"A study published in 2007 found that 7 percent of hips implanted in Medicare patients had to be replaced within seven and a half years.

"The percentage may sound low, but the finding suggests that thousands of hip patients eventually require a second operation, said Dr. Malchau. Those patients must endure additional recoveries, often painful, and increased medical expenses.

"The failure rate should be lower, many experts agree. Sweden, for instance, has a failure rate estimated to be a third of that in the United States."

[edit] Source

New York Times, Getting a New Knee or Hip? Do It Right the First Time, 7/2/2010