A lot of research is also being done on bone growth enhancers, and that holds much promise for making hip replacements last even longer. This fall marks the thirtieth anniversary of the first hip replacement surgery in Georgia, which Dr. DeAndrade performed at Emory in l969. That first patient was in the hospital three weeks. The surgery takes about an hour and a half, and patients are up walking the day after surgery, says Dr. DeAndrade. It probably is the most successful procedure in all of surgery.
Most patients are very, very pleased with the results.
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