The results of a study show that patients between the ages of 50-80 years suffering from osteoporosis and undergoing elective total hip or knee replacement had an estimated mortality rate of 0.1% in the first 26 days after the operation.

The research also revealed that the increase in mortality rate eventually decreased after that time period.

Researchers from the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, and the Norwegian Arthroplasty Register at the Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, Norway showed a slight increase, during the first 26 days, in the risk of postoperative mortality or death following surgery.

The lead author of the study, Dr Stein Atle Lie, PhD, MSc and professor in the Department of Surgical Sciences at the University of Bergen, Norway said, “Previous studies suggesting that increased mortality exists for as long as 60 or 90 days post hip or knee replacement surgery may be wrong.”

It was, however, found that the risk of death was almost reduced to negligible after 26 days of surgery.

Most of the patients are able to regain their active lifestyle with the prescribed postoperative care and that too with much lesser pain.