Which is best for you?

The orthopedic highway is littered with implants that "seemed like a good idea at the time", but were eventually found to be poor. Indeed, it takes years, sometimes decades, to find out just how things will shake out. The desire to provide you with the newest options has to be tempered by the poor track record of prior "improvements". I recommend trying something new when existing implants are clearly deficient.

Hip Replacements

The plastic liner of the cup can wear out in a young, heavy, active patient, and, at this point, I would recommend a "ceramic on ceramic" or "metal on metal" hip replacement, rather than the traditional "metal on plastic" implant. For the older, lighter, more sedentary person I would stick to the tried and true, classic implants.

Knee Replacements

Unless the pioneering spirit courses deep in your veins, stick to implants that have a solid track record. The implant that I most commonly use boasts a solid 20-year record.

Mini-incisions

I discuss this more fully in What Your Doctor May NOT Tell You About Hip and Knee Replacement Surgery, but there are two take home points to remember:

1. Today's incisions are shorter than they used to be, so your incision will be shorter than that of your friend's from 10 years ago.
2. Joint replacement surgery can be challenging even when a surgeon has a beautiful view of the surgical field. I can assure you that, as of this writing, having your surgery performed through a tiny incision increases your risk of your not being