Orthopaedic Trends in the 1990s An introduction

Recent advances in orthopaedic technology have been among the most exciting medical developments of the past decade. More than 90 percent of the procedures and implants in use today did not exist a decade ago. The development of new prostheses and implants, the modifications of existing ones, and the development of new surgical techniques have allowed orthopaedic surgeons to treat and rehabilitate patients with diseases and deformities that were previously unmanageable. Furthermore, the newer and less invasive procedures have decreased the cost of treatment and recovery time for many patients. Prosthetic joint replacement is now capable of relieving arthritic pain in a predictable fashion, and spinal deformities of any magnitude can be treated in patients of any age with a high probability of success. The reattachment of amputated parts has become commonplace, and techniques of tissue transfer have enabled the salvage and reconstruction of cancerous or traumatised limbs that previously would have been lost to amputation.