Metal Hips Trump Plastic
Hip-replacement components made of metal last longer and endure more wear and tear than artificial hips made of plastic. Orthopedic surgeon John T. Cuckler, M.D., principal investigator of a titanium-surface ball-and-socket implant tested at UAB says the material wears at 1/100 of the rate of conventional polymer surfaces. Research shows that metal implants produce much less "wear debris," a process that can initiate inflammation, progressive bone resorption, and implant loosening. "The plastic material implants usually last 10-12 years, but metal-on-metal will last 20-30 years. With the average age for hip replacements declining every year, patients are expected to live longer with the implants. We routinely offer the metal hip particularly to younger and more active patients."
Contact Hank Black, Media Relations, 205-934-8938 or [email protected].
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