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Is 80 Years Too Old for Joint Replacement?

How risky is a joint replacement at age 80 (or older)? That's the topic of this study from the Institute of Clinical Evaluative Sciences in Toronto, Canada.

Octogenarian refers to anyone 80 years old or older. Results for a group of octogenarians after total hip or total knee joint replacements were compared to results for the same operations in patients aged 65 to 79.

Only serious problems were counted. These included death, heart attack, pneumonia, and urinary tract infections. The study showed octogenarians were 3.4 times more likely to die after total joint replacement compared to younger patients.

They were also 3.5 times more likely to get pneumonia. Twice as many octogenarians had heart attacks after a hip or knee replacement compared to the 65 to 79 age group. Men were more likely than women to have a heart attack or pneumonia.

The authors report that patients with health problems were more likely to die than those in good health. This was equally true for men and women. Problems such as diabetes, hip fracture, and cancer increase the risk of death after joint replacement.

Even with the increased risk of serious problems the overall rate of complications is low. Total joint replacement is still a good option for the octogenarian. They must be prepared to face some increased risks when thinking about having a hip or knee replaced.

References: Hans J. Kreder, MD, MPH, et al. Arthroplasty in the Octogenarian. In The Journal of Arthroplasty. April 2005. Vol. 20. No. 2. Pp. 289-293.

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