According to the Hip and Knee Orthopedic Surgical Implants Market report, the growing prevalence of osteoarthritis and post-traumatic arthritis due to an aging population and increasing life spans will likely drive the global hip and knee orthopedic surgical implants market to more than $12 billion by 2021.
The U.S. remains the dominant player, with Zimmer Biomet, Stryker, and DePuy Synthes retaining the largest share of the market, and according to the report, Zimmer Biomet is expected to surface as the leading company in the hip and knee orthopedic surgical implants market.
Despite exponential growth in the market, as well as a number of technological advancements, hip and knee surgical implants are prone to failure, and at least one of eight complications will occur within 90 days of admission, according to Medicare statistics.
Why do Hip and Knee Implants Fail?
Hip and knee implants fail for a variety of reasons, but in the case of hip implants, the most common issue is loosening of the components from the bone. Over time, the bone erodes and the implant loosens, resulting in pain and decreased function. According to the Arthritis Foundation, all metal implants have a significantly higher failure rate (6.2 percent) that those made with other materials, such as ceramic (3.2 percent) or plastic (1.7 percent).
Knee implants typically fail due to wear and tear with subsequent loosening of the implant for various reasons, including micro-movement or infection. Aseptic loosening is the most common cause of knee implant failure. Other causes of failure might include infection, instability, fracture, or stiffness.
The most common symptoms of knee implant failure include pain, instability, swelling, and stiffness across the knee, either generalized or localized. If a knee replacement loosens, the only solution is revision surgery.
