Hope for young people with bad osteoarthritis of the hips… next
Stem Cells Could Replace Hip Replacements
Christopher Wanjek writing for Live science reported scientists have coaxed stem cells to grow new cartilage on a scaffold shaped like the ball of a hip joint. This is a major step toward being able one day to use a patient’s own cells to repair a damaged joint, thus avoiding the need for extensive joint-replacement surgery.
In addition, the scientists used gene therapy to grant this new cartilage the ability to release anti-inflammatory molecules when needed. If done in patients, this technique could help prevent a return of arthritis, if that was what damaged the joint in the first place.
The new technique may be ready to test in humans within three to five years and may ultimately work with other joints, such as knees, said Farshid Guilak, a professor of orthopedic surgery at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, who co-led the project.
Comment: We stopped doing stem cell procedures for hips at our center because we weren’t getting the results we wanted. While this approach looks like it might work I’m reserving judgement. The hip has a unique mechanical structure that makes any type of stem cell procedure problematic..
If you’re in for a hip replacement, this is the type of operation you might want to ask about…
Anterior approach to hip replacement surgeries offers less pain, faster recovery
Lucetter Lagnado writing in the Wall Street Journal reported on the anterior approach to hip replacement surgeries, which NYU Langone Medical Center calls same-day hip replacement surgery. This approach uses the natural openings between muscles to avoid cutting through muscle and tendons as the traditional or posterior method would. Physicians say the anterior approach offers less postoperative pain and faster recovery times for patients.
Comment: This is not really new news… but I think it’s important to know this technique is considered the approach of choice now.
Here’s something you can do to improve your chances of a good outcome after hip replacement…
Physical therapy before joint replacement surgery reduces need for postoperative care by nearly 30 percent.
News-Medical.Net reported in News-Medical.Net…Physical therapy after total hip (THR) or total knee replacement (TKR) surgery is standard care for all patients. A new study, appearing in the October 1 issue of the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery (JBJS), also found that physical therapy before joint replacement surgery, or “prehabilitation,” can diminish the need for postoperative care by nearly 30 percent, saving an average of $1,215 per patient in skilled nursing facility, home health agency or other postoperative care.
Comment: This appears to be the standard of care in many places already.
Low Birth Weight, Preterm Birth May Increase Risk For Hip Replacement In Adulthood
Hannah Nichols writing in MNT reported on an Australian study. Researchers from Monash University, Melbourne, Australia aimed to investigate whether joint replacement surgery due to osteoarthritis as adults could be added to the growing list of risk factors associated with low birth weight and preterm birth. The data was from 3,604 participants involved in the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study. The eligible contributors had reported their birth weight, history of preterm birth and were aged 40 or older at the time of joint replacement data collection. Prof.
Flavia Cicuttini comments: “Our findings suggest that individuals born prematurely or with low birth weight are more likely to need hip replacement surgery for osteoarthritis in adulthood.”
How long will it take you to recover from joint replacement surgery… the answer might be in your blood… next
Blood Test Might Predict Speed of Recovery From Surgery: Study
Steven Reinberg writing in Healthday reported measuring the activity of a type of white blood cell immediately after surgery might reveal which patients are likely to recover quickly and those who won’t, a preliminary study suggests.
The study found that a high level of activity in certain white blood cells predicted a poorer recovery for people who’d just had hip replacement surgery.
The researchers plan to test these findings in other operations to see if they can be duplicated. If so, they hope to develop a simple, inexpensive blood test that could guide patients and doctors in predicting recovery and planning medical care after an operation, according to lead researcher Dr. Brice Gaudilliere, a clinical instructor at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
Comment: This could be a very important discovery and help a lot of people.