Hip Replacement Curve Continues Up

Few orthopedic surgeons need to be convinced that the number of total hip replacements will continue to increase over the next few years. A new report from the National Center for Health Statistics—which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—reveals that “the future is already here, ” as the authors put it. From 2000 to 2010, the number of procedures more than doubled and patients receiving hip implants were younger. Their average length of stay got shorter.

In the year 2000 surgeons performed 138, 700 hip replacement surgeries—inpatient data only. Ten years later, 2010, surgeons were performing 310, 800 total hip replacements on inpatients aged 45 and over. The rate of hip replacement surgeries increased from 142.2 per 100, 000 of population to 257.0.

The greatest increase in numbers was in the age group 55 to 64. For this group the number of total hip replacements almost tripled. The greatest percentage change was in the 45 to 54 age group, which jumped 205% increase. This age group also had the greatest increase in rate of hip implant per 100, 000 people. It more than doubled from 45 total hip replacement surgeries to 117 per 100, 000 population.

In 2010, the average length of stay was shortest—three days—for the youngest age group and longest for the oldest group. Among those aged 75 and over the average stay was four days. From 2000 onward the average length of stay decreased for each age group.

The authors of the report warn that in the future the younger ages at which total hip replacements are performed “may result in a greater number of procedures being done to replace artificial hip joints that have worn out over time.”