Orthopaedic surgeons have praised the extra funding that has meant more patients getting joint replacement surgery.
New Zealand Orthopaedic Association (NZOA) president John Matheson told its annual scientific meeting in Hastings today that 11,500 extra patients had received funding from July 2004 and July 2008 because of funding by the Ministry of Health's National Joint Initiative.
The NZOA, a professional body of 185 orthopaedic surgeons, was grateful that more people now enjoyed a substantially better quality of life.
"Joint replacements offer perhaps the greatest improvement in quality of life of any surgical procedure available today," Mr Matheson said.
Around 65 papers were being presented at the NZOA three-day scientific meeting, which was being attended by the presidents of orthopaedic surgeons' associations from Australia, United Kingdom, United States, France and South Africa.
