Total knee replacement 'improves mobility'

Total knee replacement is a cost-effective procedure that leads to greater mobility and independent living in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

This is also the case for those who are in their 80s or 90s, according to research from Duke University Medical Centre published in the journal Arthritis and Rheumatism.

Researchers observed 259 patients who underwent total knee replacement and 1,816 who did not. They found that older patients who received the procedure were twice as likely to show improved physical mobility as those who did not.

Meanwhile, patients who were disabled at the time of surgery left their disability behind within one year of the procedure, the researchers found.

According to lead author Dr Linda George, this is the first study to examine the effects of total knee replacement using data from a randomly selected group of patients aged 65 and older.

An Arthritis Research Campaign spokeswoman said: "More than 62,000 knee replacements were performed in England and Wales in 2006/07, the majority of which were due to osteoarthritis. Most patients, of all ages, enjoy a vastly improved quality of life as a result of this surgery."

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