Engineers Develop Method to Increase Lifespan of Joint Replacements (Product Design and Development)
Researchers at the University of Southampton have completed a project that will enable surgeons to fit joint replacements with longer, optimized lifespans. The MXL project uses computational modelling to define the mechanics of an artificial joint – a complex interaction of individual anatomy, prosthesis design, sizing and placement – to ensure successful surgery and longer lifespans of the prosthetic joints.
Professor Markus Heller, leader of the MXL project, says: “Joint replacement surgery substitutes worn-out joint tissues with artificial components. These artificial components will also fail eventually, some after only a few years, with nearly ten per cent of all joint replacement operations in the EU each year taking place to replace prosthetics that have worn out.
These ‘revisions’ of joint replacement surgery are complex, require a longer rehabilitation and also come at a substantial cost, with a hip revision estimated to cost €80,000.”
Surgeons today have to rely on their experience to best perform the joint replacement surgery to ensure long-lasting function. There are cur...
