Introduction
T he last few years have proven to be a tumultuous time for orthopaedics. The metal-on-metal hip joint debate is ravaging the industry, and the first of potentially tens of thousands of lawsuits against allegedly defective devices have only just got underway. It’s going to be a long, long while before the defendant companies see light at the end of the tunnel.
Further controversies and challenges are set to hit the bone community. Rising obesity levels are putting an extra strain on load-bearing joints, and in turn our precious NHS.
In addition, younger patients are experiencing an increasing occurrence of hip and knee issues due to increasingly active lifestyles; look at Lady Gaga, a hip surgery patient at the tender age of 26. The faces that an orthopaedic surgeon sees are beginning to get younger and younger.
But these patients come replete with unprecedented demands: “I want to be back on my feet sooner”; “I want full function”; “I want longevity with my implant” are just some of the ‘requests’ patients are putting on their surgeon.
Answering the questions
The upshot of it all is that despite the global economy being what it is, orthopaedics remains a strong and rapidly dynamic industry. Analysts predict that the global hip and joint market will grow to $17.5 billion by 2018. What does the future hold for hip and knee? Is 3D printing set to be a game-changer? Do metal-on-metal joints have a future in orthopaedics?
In light of this overwhelming surge in the lower limbs department, we’re pleased to bring you the first ever OPN Hip & Knee Conference.
Held on the 27 June at the Royal College of Surgeons in London, its aim is to highlight best clinical practices and showcase what might become the future when it comes to the management of hip and knee conditions.
The programme
We’ve brought together high profile orthopaedic experts from across the country in order to discuss a wide range of topics. Mr Derek McMinn looks at the future of hip resurfacing, while Professor Tom Joyce advises on how to avoid future implant failure.
Regulatory issues are also on the billing, with Mr Peter Kay talking about the BOA’s Beyond Compliance initiative, which aims to innovate patient care by giving surgeons best practice guidelines and making CE marking processes more rigorous. Hand in hand with this, Mr Tim Wilton highlights the importance of proper surveillance and publishing of joint registry data.
Our Podium and Poster Sessions also allow the latest research and ideas to be shared among the community. We’ll have three Podium Sessions across the day, and speakers will present more than 25 abstracts, with opportunities for questions and debate.
Delegates are flocking to the event in great numbers. This may be our first conference, but with such a diverse range of subjects and a host of prestigious speakers, we have representatives jetting in from such far-flung locations as the US, India, Singapore and even Australia!
Thank you
We give thanks to our Consultant Editors for their generous contributions in organising this event, along with our Faculty Speakers and all of you who submitted abstracts for consideration. We’d also like to show our appreciation to our official Conference Partner, Orthopaedic Research UK, a valuable charity dedicated to advancing knowledge and collaboration within orthopaedic academia.
Finally, we say a big thank you to our attending delegates, who made it possible for this event to get off the ground. We hope you enjoy the day, and that it will be an educational and entertaining event for all attendees.
Authors
The Organising Committee: Firas Arnaout, Ayaz Lakdawala, Laura Pollard, Helen Gibson, Jacques Clarkson, Matt Ng
