Increase in Total Knee Surgeries

Hello knee info seekers.  I have been doing total knees for 26 years in private practice. I have noticed an increase in young patients requesting their knees be done sooner than ever before. I told a 36 year old working man last week to wait until he was 40.  He was disappointed.  Many young patients are reasonable candidates for surgery, but each has to be evaluated individually.  Unfortunately total knees DO NOT last forever, and it will have to be redone eventually in a younger patient.  Our “now” generation is not very patient – people want to feel better “now”. There will be many more people with health insurance – because it is a law that you get it!  Some will have big deductible policies that will still be a roadblock to getting knee surgery they need. However many others will get coverage thru the new insurance exchanges, which can not exclude you for a pre-existing condition. I think there are a LOT of people out there that need total knees, but have not had the insurance to pay for it. We shall see if it leads to an “epidemic” of total knee surgery. I hope patients will take the time to see someone who is very good at this surgery, because it is complicated and you need years of experience to get it right over and over. Dr. Kozinn has done over 5,000 tota l knee replacement surgeries – experience counts in this field!   Brian Williams from NBC News is having a Total Knee soon.  Watch his video from NBC Nightly News on Total Knees.  see our sister website at www.scottsdalejointcenter.com