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Trends in Use of Total Knee Arthroplasty in Korea From 2001 to 2010

  • Symposium: Special Considerations for TKA in Asian Patients
  • Published:
Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research®

Abstract

Background

The use of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has increased substantially in most Western countries. However, the trends in TKA use and changes in demographic characteristics of patients having TKA in Korea remain unclear.

Questions/purposes

We documented the trends in TKA use and in the demographics of patients undergoing TKA in Korea over the past decade and determined whether current TKA use in Korea corresponds to worldwide trends.

Methods

Using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service of Korea database, we analyzed TKA records (n = 398,218) from 2001 to 2010 in Korea. Trends in TKA use and demographics, including numbers and rates of primary and revision TKA, growth rate and the revision burden, and age- and sex-specific rates, were estimated. They were compared with nationwide TKA registry reports from other countries, and a systematic review was performed.

Results

Over the past decade, the primary and revision TKA rates increased by 407% and 267%, respectively. However, the revision burden remained 2%. The highest proportion was observed in 65 to 74 years old and the greatest increase in 75 to 84 years old, but a decrease was observed in those 55 to 64 years old. Women consistently had a ninefold higher TKA rate. The primary TKA rate was comparable with that of other countries, but the revision burden remained lower. In addition, old and female patients comprised considerably higher proportions in Korea.

Conclusions

During the past decade, TKA use in Korea has markedly increased and caught up with the use levels of most developed Western countries. Trends toward consistent growth in elderly patients and higher rates in females were observed. Appropriate healthcare strategies reflecting these trends in demographics are urgently needed in Korea.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Eun Sook Hwang of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) of Korea for providing the HIRA data.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Uijeongbu St Mary’s Hospital, Gyunggido, Korea

    In Jun Koh MD

  2. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    In Jun Koh MD & Yong In MD

  3. Joint Reconstruction Center, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Gyunggido, Korea

    Tae Kyun Kim MD & Chong Bum Chang MD

  4. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    Tae Kyun Kim MD & Chong Bum Chang MD

  5. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Pusan National University College of Medicine, Pusan, Korea

    Hyung Joon Cho MD

  6. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Seoul St Mary’s Hospital, 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 137-701, Korea

    Yong In MD

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Correspondence to Yong In MD.

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Each author certifies that he or she, or a member of his or her immediate family, has no funding or commercial associations (eg, consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangements, etc) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article.

All ICMJE Conflict of Interest Forms for authors and Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research editors and board members are on file with the publication and can be viewed on request.

This work was performed at the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Uijeongbu St Mary’s Hospital, Gyunggido, Korea.

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Koh, I.J., Kim, T.K., Chang, C.B. et al. Trends in Use of Total Knee Arthroplasty in Korea From 2001 to 2010. Clin Orthop Relat Res 471, 1441–1450 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-012-2622-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-012-2622-y

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