How long will a hip implant last?
The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) has decreed that only implants with a track record of failure of less than 1% per year should be used. Therefore after 10 years, 90% should still be working well. Whilst this performance would be satisfactory for a patient of retirement age, it would not be satisfactory for patients in their 40s or 50s as the hip may well wear out in their lifetime. It is for this reason that longer lasting bearing surfaces, such as ceramic, metal-on-metal, and harder wearing polyethylenes are preferred for younger patients.
