Hip and knee prosthesis in the ISSSTE

By increasing life expectancy, joint problems Degenerative (osteoarthritis) manifestations occur most frequently in the joints of the hip and knee, accompanied by pain, limitation in the moves Y dificulty to walk .

In 2004, the head of Orthopedics and Traumatology of the National Medical Center "20 de Noviembre" of the ISSSTE, Dr. Manuel Michel Nava, said that to address these problems the Institute implanted prostheses to the beneficiaries who require it. This type of care is provided by trained orthopedic surgeons.

He affirmed that the ISSSTE annually acquires an average of 600 hip prostheses and 700 knee prostheses; and the cost of each one can fluctuate between 15 and 25 thousand pesos and are of foreign manufacture.

The specialist indicated that currently it is considered that a hip prosthesis in conditions of adequate implantation and reasonable use can last 15 to 20 years; and in the case of a knee prosthesis between 8 and 12 approximately. However, there are several factors that can make its durability less, such as exaggerated and uncontrolled use, overweight, the age of the patient and the type of activity and phenomena such as osteoporosis.

 

History of knee and hip prostheses

"Arthritic diseases have accompanied the human being since its inception, but have been treated basically with medications and palliative general measures, however, for 35 years, in the case of the hip, and 25 with the knee began the designs of implants or prostheses to replace them, "he said.

He recalled that at first these were somewhat rudimentary, but with the help of biotechnology have improved both the designs and biomechanics, such as biomaterials, so that currently has a great sophistication in its design and manufacture.

Currently, the prostheses are made with high density polyethylene in their parts pláticas and chromium-cobalt alloys, some of its components are titanium-aluminum. These metals and plastics have almost completely reduced the problems of rejection, showing great resistance to fatigue, corrosion and wear, with standards of manufacture and sterilization that meet the strictest international official standards, he concluded.