Hip Replacements Using Stem-Cells

Every year, 160,000 people in the UK have hip replacements – although the vast majority are over 60.
Most are successful, but sometimes the body rejects the prosthetic, which can be made of metal, plastic or ceramic material.
Also, man-made joints wear out and need to be replaced after 15 years.

A new technique, known as combined simultaneous hip replacement with stem-cell therapy, has been developed specifically for treating difficult cases, giving an alternative to a total hip replacement.
The pioneering orthopaedic procedure uses a patient’s own bone and stem cells to form a graft that rejuvenates and repairs damaged bone.
Because the stem-cell technique uses grafts made from the body’s own materials, they grow like normal bone – and experts hope it could eliminate the need for subsequent replacements.
So far, this new procedure has been carried out successfully on two British patients.