Ceramic Hip Replacement Approved

WATERBURY – The Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ended a nearly 20-year investigation period for the ceramic hip replacement and approved it for broad use in the United States.

For the past five years, the Orthopaedic Center for Joint Reconstruction at Waterbury Hospital has served as one of a dozen centers nationwide testing the smooth, highly durable hip replacement made of ceramic. Under the direction of Kristaps Keggi, MD, director of the Orthopaedic Center and clinical professor of orthopaedics and rehabilitation at the Yale School of Medicine, approximately 700 patients, ranging age from 12 to 75,  benefited from the ceramic hip during the clinical trial phase, with excellent results.

The ceramic-on-ceramic hip, as it is known, has several advantages over metal and plastic hip implants. “Ceramic glides easily as the joint is used, ” said Dr Keggi, eliminating “debris disease,” which results when tiny particles from the hip implant break off and create friction in the joint, causing inflammation and loosening.

“Due to its ease in movement and overall durability, ceramic is ideal for younger, more active patients, and for those individuals who are heavy,” said Dr Keggi. In addition, the ceramic prosthesis has the potential to last indefinitely under normal circumstances versus approximately one to two decades for metal and plastic.

The Orthopaedic Center for Joint Reconstruction is one of the busiest orthopaedic facilities in New England with more than 600 hip and knee replacements and revisions performed each year. The center enjoys international acclaim for Dr Keggi’s pioneering work in the area of minimally invasive, anterior hip replacement. This technique allows the surgeon to implant the hip prosthesis from the front of the patient, using small incisions and resulting in less trauma to the body and a more rapid recovery.

For further information on ceramic hip replacement, visit waterburyhospital.org or call the Waterbury Hospital Orthopaedic Center for Joint Reconstruction at 203-573-7635.