Joint replacements make their own graphite lube
I considered a knee replacement because of my injury but was told by a doctor that joint replacements are an absolute last resort as they only really give around 50% (of normal) benefit so generally only people down to around 20% or so tend to get them in order to come UP to 50%. Since I'm around 90%, I'd actually be going backwards.
No pain though, which would be nice.
Plus, apparently, they need to be replaced every few years. Having major surgery every few years is incredibly unappealing.
Anyway, anything that could improve these factors is a good thing. Then again, I'm hoping stem cell research will lead to far better alternatives.
No pain though, which would be nice.
Plus, apparently, they need to be replaced every few years. Having major surgery every few years is incredibly unappealing.
Anyway, anything that could improve these factors is a good thing. Then again, I'm hoping stem cell research will lead to far better alternatives.
Gilladian
Adventurer
My husband has really bad knees (crunchy hard yellow cartilage). They totally stripped the cartilage out of one knee last year, and probably by next year they'll have to do the other...
His doctor won't do a replacement on him for another 10-12 years (preferably not until he hits 65) because he says "you can really only do 2 knee replacements in one lifetime". So the first at 65, the second at 72-75, and then you're done. You live with what you got...
If graphite would help, we'd do it in an instant!
His doctor won't do a replacement on him for another 10-12 years (preferably not until he hits 65) because he says "you can really only do 2 knee replacements in one lifetime". So the first at 65, the second at 72-75, and then you're done. You live with what you got...
If graphite would help, we'd do it in an instant!
I think you mised it- the article was saying that the joint replacement interacted with the biddy to produce its own graphite lubing. This was a discovery, not a design feature. They didn't expect this at all.
Yah, but understanding why it works like it does will hopefully lead to better devices. Also, understanding the effects of having a bunch of free-floating graphite in your system would probably be nice as well.
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