BOOK NOW FOR EARLY BIRD RATES. EARLY BIRD EXPIRES AUGUST 31 2011

Conference Programme available soon

It is well accepted that conventional hip replacement performs well in the elderly patient, with survivorship rates in excess of 90% at 10 years. However, there is still a significant challenge to find a viable alternative for the young active patient.

Since the last Joined at the Hip Conference in 2007, there have been a number of interesting developments in the world of Hip Joint Arthroplasty. The usage of cementless devices continues to climb, despite evidence from registries reporting better clinical performance with cement. What is driving the orthopaedics community down the cementless path despite clinical evidence to the contrary? Hip resurfacing appears to performs well, particularly in young men, however there have been reports of pseudo-tumours associated with large diameter metal-on-metal bearings. Although the primary cause of pseudo-tumour formation is still under investigation, acetabular cup inclination is likely to be a key factor. Also, it would appear that subtle changes in resurfacing implant design have an affect on clinical performance. In parallel, there appears to be an emerging problem of corrosion with large diameter modular metal heads on conventional hip stems. This raises questions about the current ability of pre-clinical methods to screen new implant designs. It also raises questions in relation to how new devices should be released onto the market in order to minimise the risk to patients.

Following on from the success of the 2002 and 2007 events, this conference will once again bring together engineers and surgeons, academics and industrialists to discuss the latest issues and to act as a platform for the future development of hip arthroplasty.