Ceramic implant could be the future of hip replacements, surgeon says
A new implant developed in combination with Australian scientists could be the future of hip replacement surgeries, scientists say.
Sydney footballer Claudio Fabiano was injured in the early years of his sporting career and required hip replacement surgery.
He received a ceramic implant, specifically designed for hip resurfacing procedures, which don't require the long stem used in common hip replacements.
READ MORE: Baby Scarlett saved by doctors after rare organ defect
A new implant developed in combination with Australian scientists could be the future of hip replacement surgeries, scientists say. Nine
"It was a quality of life decision, I didn't want to go back to sport, I just wanted to walk normally," Fabiano said.
It is the first ceramic implant made for hip resurfacing procedures.
"So we're not removing bone that's normally removed for hip replacement," Professor Bill Walter from the Royal North Shore Hospital and University of Sydney said.
"The result of that is that the hip feels a bit more natural and is a bit stronger, particularly for activities such as running and jumping."
Badly designed metal implants and ongoing concerns about metal toxicity have limited the use of traditional metal implants for hip replacements.
Patients reported excellent pain and symptom relief in a study of patients who had received the ceramic implant.
READ MORE: Australia's young people 'burnt out and in need of help', research finds
Patients reported excellent pain and symptom relief in a study of patients who had received the ceramic implant. Nine
After two years, 45 per cent of patients had returned to high-level sports.
Female patients also benefitted from the procedure, which is a significant development for the surgery, Walter said.
"In the past, resurfacing has not worked well in female patients but with the ceramic on ceramic resurfacing, we're getting very good results in female patients," he said.
About 50,000 hip replacements are performed in Australia each year, with resurfacing procedures making up less than 1 per cent.
Experts say that is expected to change.
"Almost half of the patients would be eligible for resurfacing," Walter said.
Full TGA approval is expected this year, with further studies examining the long-term results of a ceramic implant.
Share a tip-off, video or photo with us
