Engineering a better hip implant

University of Iowa researchers have determined that thigh size in obese people is a reason their hip implants are more likely to fail.
In a study, the team simulated hip dislocations as they occur in humans and determined that increased thigh girth creates hip instability in morbidly obese patients (those with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 40). The researchers propose that surgeons modify surgical procedures to minimise the chance of dislocation in obese patients and consider other designs for hip replacement implants.
‘We have shown that morbidly obese patients