advertisement
Hip, knee replacements on the rise
Experts say the number of hip and knee replacements may skyrocket in the next seven years, an increase that could strain the U.S. health care system. Using data on joint replacement surgeries from 1997 to 2004, researchers found that hip replacements rose 37 percent between 2000 and 2004, and knee replacements increased 57 percent in this same time period. Medicare paid for most of these procedures, data showed, and those who paid with private insurance had steeper payments. Experts say a growing aging population, rising obesity rates, and more cases of arthritis linked to both factors are responsible for the increase in joint replacements.
(WebMD) UPDATED 04/17/2008Click here to read the full story
Conditions: | obesity - 182 Articles | osteoarthritis (OA) - 214 Articles Treatments: | joint replacement - 17 Articles
Helpful?
advertisement
