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Show: December 9, 2012:
- What factors have influenced the rise in knee replacements?
- Are health and happiness linked?
- Are the effects of “chemo brain” irreversible?
- Is talk therapy effective over the phone?
- Do feelings of loneliness pose health risks?
- How do drugs get their names?
- View all topics for the week
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What factors have influenced the rise in knee replacements?
Host: Kathy Miller, MD
Interview: Peter Cram, M.D., M.B.A., Director, Division of General Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine.
Total knee replacement has become one of the most common and most expensive surgeries in the U.S. Peter Cram, M.D., MBA, director of the Division of General Medicine at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, ascribes the growth in knee replacements to the desire of older Americans to remain active and Medicare’s generous coverage of the procedure. Another factor: Artificial knee replacements last 10 to 20 years, which may necessitate an additional replacement during a patient’s lifetime. Cram says the growth in knee replacements cannot be attributed to increased levels of obesity.
Additional Resources:
- Learn more about the rise in knee replacement surgery here.
