A study from the University of Bristol indicates that eight out of 10 knee replacements and six out of 10 hip replacements last as long as 25 years.

The research published in the Lancet looked at 25 years’ worth of operations, involving more than 500,000 people. Hip and Knee replacements are among the most common orthopaedic operations today. They have transformed the lives of patients suffering from crippling arthritis. At consultation when patients ask the doctor how long the artificial joint will last, they often do not get the right answers.

The researchers, writing in the Lancet, looked at reports from joint replacement registries in six countries which held at least 15 years of data – Australia, Finland, Denmark, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden. According to the study, when hip and knee replacements do fail it tends to be because of infection, wear and tear and, more rarely, because they have broken.

The Result:

Hip replacements: 89% lasted 15 years, 70% lasted 20 years, 58% lasted 25 years
Total knee replacements: 93% lasted 15 years, 90% lasted 20 years, 82% lasted 25 years
Partial knee replacements: 77% lasted 15 years, 72% lasted 20 years, 70% lasted 25 years

John Skinner, from the British Orthopaedic Association and a consultant orthopaedic surgeon, said using more implants with better survival rates would mean fewer repeat surgeries in the future.

He said it was known that 95% of hip replacements lasted at least 10 years. NHS advice says they last at least 15 years.

“Initially patients had joint replacements at the very end of their arthritic journey, just before they lost the ability to walk and became wheelchair dependent. “We are now so confident in hip replacement surgery that we can offer it to younger, more active patients, to relieve their pain and keep them active,” Mr Skinner said.