S. Korean-made hip prosthesis gaining global popularity

By Lee Youkyung
SEOUL, July 24 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean-made artificial joint is gaining
popularity among people with hip damage in more than a dozen countries thanks to
its high quality, the inventor of the device said Friday.

More than 12,000 patients in 16 countries have had their damaged hip joints
replaced with Proxima, a prosthesis for arthritis and osteoarthritis patients,
since 2004, said Kim Young-hoo, a professor at a Seoul university.
In particular, overseas hip replacement operations using Proxima have been rising
at a monthly average rate of more than 40 percent this year in those countries,
including Britain and Germany, said Kim, chief surgeon at the Joint Replacement
Center of Ewha Womans University Hospital.
Kim, who invented the artificial joint in 2000, said its significantly improved
quality has generated positive responses from patients.
"Proxima preserves more bone as the size of the stem is smaller than previous
artificial joints," Kim said. "It also requires minimal incision during surgery
and reduces abrasion of bones."
Kim said he is seeking to win approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
for the device, which would lead to exports to more countries, including the U.S.
and Japan.
More than 10 hospitals in South Korea have used Proxima in hip replacement
operations since 2006, he said.
ylee@yna.co.kr
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