San Diego, CAAccording to a recent study presented at the annual meeting of the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons in San Diego, California, Zimmer NexGen knee replacement devices can last more than 20 years on average.
This number differs from the 15 years that many physicians had previously thought, according to DrugWatch.com.
The study, which was led by Dr. John B. Meding, an orthopedic surgeon, examined 1,757 patients who received knee replacements at St. Francis Hospital in Mooresville, Indiana, between 1975 and 1989.
According to the study, a total of 128 of the patients were still living, and all but two of them were still able to walk up and down stairs without using a banister. The majority of the living patients were not experiencing any complications with their knee replacement.
"Although aging may cause a gradual decline in physical activity after [total knee replacement], improved functional outcomes continue over the long term," said the researchers. "Our results indicate that this group of patients demonstrates remarkable functional capacity over 20 years after the index arthroplasty."
Zimmer Inc. is headquartered in Warsaw, Indiana, according to the company's Web site.
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