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Review
. 2018 Jan;100-B(1):6-10.
doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.100B1.BJJ-2017-0779.R1.

Follow-up after arthroplasty of the hip and knee : are we over-servicing or under-caring?

T M Lovelock  1 , N S Broughton  1
Affiliations
Review

Follow-up after arthroplasty of the hip and knee : are we over-servicing or under-caring?

T M Lovelock et al. Bone Joint J. 2018 Jan.

Abstract

The number of arthroplasties of the hip and knee is predicted to increase rapidly during the next 20 years. Accompanying this is the dilemma of how to follow-up these patients appropriately. Current guidelines recommend long-term follow-up to identify patients with aseptic loosening, which can occur more than a decade postoperatively. The current guidelines and practices of orthopaedic surgeons vary widely. Existing models take up much clinical time and are expensive. Pilot studies using 'virtual' clinics and advanced-practice physiotherapists have shown promise in decreasing the time and costs for orthopaedic surgeons and patients. This review discusses current practices and future trends in the follow-up of patients who have an arthroplasty. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2018;100-B:6-10.

Keywords: Advanced practitioner; Arthroplasty; Follow-up; General practitioner; Revision; Virtual clinic.

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