Numerous times on this blog I have reported increases in the number of joint replacements. A recent report from Medicare has demonstrated it's not just more patients are being considered for knee replacement surgery, but it's also becoming more popular.
Previous reports have emphasized the increase of knee replacement in younger patients. That is part of the reason knee replacements are being performed more commonly.
Another factor is that knee replacements are becoming more popular. In 1991, for every 100,000 Medicare recipients, about 31 knee replacements were performed each year. In 2010, the number of knee replacements increased to 62 per 100,000. That is a 100% increase.
With knee replacements becoming more common, the patients considered for knee replacement becoming broader, and our population aging, there will undoubtedly be more and more knee replacements in the coming decades.
Source: "Total Knee Arthroplasty Volume, Utilization, and Outcomes Among Medicare Beneficiaries, 1991-2010"
