Advances in Joint Replacement: The Rise of Endoprosthesis
Endoprosthesis History and Developments of Joint Replacements Joint replacements, also known as arthroplasty, have come a long way since the first documented procedure in the 1890s. What started as an experimental surgery has now become a routine and highly successful operation performed over 1 million times annually worldwide. Some of the major developments that have advanced joint replacements over the decades include: - In the early 1900s, surgeons began attempting hip replacements using glass and acrylic balls along with metal sockets. These were some of the first attempts at what we now call total hip arthroplasty but had very poor outcomes and limited success rates. - Advances in metallurgy after World War II allowed for stronger and more durable metals to be used for prosthetic parts. Endoprosthesis stainless steel and chromium-cobalt alloys became popular joint replacement materials in the 1960s. - The 1970s saw the introduction of high-density polyethylene (H...