Connective tissue disease after hip and knee implant surgery

Objective. To increase the knowledge of the long-term effects of artificial hip and knee joint implants. Methods: The study groups consisted of 24,636 patients with osteoarthritis who underwent hip implant surgery and 5,221 who received knee implants duri ng 1977-89. The post-implant rate of hospitalization For connective tissue disease (CTD) was compared with the rate in the general population of Denma rk and with that among osteoarthritis patients without implant surgery. Results. The rates of hospitalization for CTD were higher than the backgrou nd level among both hip and knee implant patients with osteoarthritis, wher eas the comparison with non-implanted osteoarthritis patients related that the hospitalization rate for CTD was reduced after hip implant surgery, but increased after knee implant surgery. Conclusion: Since the materials used in hip and knee implants in Denmark ar e not substantially different. these results are unlikely to reflect an imp lant effect but rather the selection criteria of referral for implant surge ry.