Hip replacement surgery in Spain

According to data provided by Spain’s Ministry of Health (dated 31st of December, 2012) 12,772 people were part of the waiting list for hip replacement surgery in Spain. According to these data, 26.88% of them had been on "structural waiting" lists for more than 6 months, which means that the wait is due to the organisation and available resources of the health system and not to the specific situation of each patient.

The total number of hip replacement surgeries performed in Spain each year is 30,000. Forecasts for this type of surgery suggest that there will be an increase of up to 174% over the next 25 years due to the increasing life expectancy of Spaniards. 

Therefore, as in the case of surgeries to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia, research and innovation in hip or knee prosthesis operations are of paramount importance in order to maintain the quality of life of patients.

Among the total number of people on the waiting list for hip replacement surgery, none of them are due to infection of the implant. This is due to the fact that surgery for the treatment of infected hip prostheses is considered urgent or a priority, so the patient should not have to wait too long to solve the problem. 

It is important to mention that the percentage of hip replacements that become infected annually is between 1 and 3% of cases, a figure that may increase with the number of interventions.

Hip replacement surgery is mainly recommended for people who, due to age or osteoarthritis, suffer from severe wear and tear in the joint, which causes pain and deformity and prevents them from leading a normal life. A hip replacement is the most suitable option for improving the patient's quality of life.

To find out more about hip replacement surgery click on the image below: