Brief patient information
As life expectancy increases, degenerative diseases of the musculoskeletal system increase. Modern anesthesia methods enable the implantation of artificial joints even for elderly people, and advances in materials and surgical techniques allow joint replacement in ever younger patients.
The benefits of endoprosthetics for patients and society as a whole are undisputedly great. The elderly can lead a pain-free life independently without nursing support, and in younger people the ability to work can be maintained for years.
Hip and knee replacement figures
In Switzerland, around 23,000 artificial hip joints and 17,000 artificial knee joints are currently implanted each year. The annual growth rates are 1% for hip joints and 2%-3% for knee joints. In Switzerland, around 16 companies produce or sell artificial joints implanted by around 800 doctors in 157 hospitals or clinics (list of participating clinics).
First-class source of information
Data is collected by SIRIS in order to increase the quality of care and patient safety. The data collected can be used to measure and compare the quality of individual hospitals and individual products, so that patients are provided with the best possible care.
The SIRIS registry is limited to implantations of artificial knee and hip joints. At a later stage, patients who depend on other implants may also benefit from the advantages of SIRIS quality assurance.
