How Good is Your Artificial Knee?
Famous Chicago surgeon designs and implants artificial joints — earning millions for himself and the company who makes them. Now they are getting divorced. Here’s the back story:
While producers of implanted heart devices have a voluntary system in which outside panels investigate problems, American makers of orthopedic devices do not. Many of the artificial joints…are cleared under law by the Food and Drug Administration for sale without testing in patients. In addition, no one in the country tracks the long-term performance of artificial hips and knees, a $6.7 billion annual business that surged as baby boomers reached middle age.
This is actually very disquieting. I know a lot of people who have artificial joints.
I’m with Tom. I had heard good things about the Chicago doctor before. Now I wonder who to trust.
I agree with the above. This seems very serious.
I would like to think the techniques for hip replacement are very well studied and agreed upon. I would also like to think artificial hips would last more than 15 years – much less begin to come loose after only a few years. These are very costly procedures and if errors in technique and premature failures are not catalogued and corrected, millions of people will lower mobility and live in pain.
Transparency… Why is that so hard to find in this industry?