Women ‘have better outcomes following total joint replacement than men’

A new study has indicated that women who undergo total joint replacement surgery are more likely to experience better outcomes than their male counterparts.

The research, which was presented at the recent annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, showed that while women often have their first hip or knee replacement at an older age, they are less likely to experience complications or require revision surgery.

Examining patient databases from an Ontario hospital between 2002 and 2009, it was observed that overall rates of serious complications were low for both groups, but were lower for women than for men for both hip and knee replacement, particularly the latter.

These findings contradict the previous theory that total joint replacement is underutilised in female patients because they have worse outcomes than men.

Lead study author Dr Bheeshma Ravi, an orthopaedic surgery resident at the University of Toronto, said: "The previously documented sex difference utilisation of total joint replacement cannot be explained by differential risks of complications following surgery."