Link  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071129085737.htmLong-term Improvement Seen With Hip ReplacementScienceDaily (Dec. 4, 2007) — Total hip arthroplasty (THA), or hip replacement, is an effective treatment for osteoarthritis (OA), but most studies have only followed patients for up to one year. Researchers examined patients after an average of eight years following hip replacement and found a long-term positive impact on their physical functioning…

…The authors conclude that the study adds to the accumulating evidence of the long-term benefits of hip replacement, especially in patients with more severe changes seen on X-rays, and that perhaps these patients should be given higher priority for the procedure.

Journal article: “Long-Term Outcome Following Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Controlled Longitudinal Study,” Janet Cushnaghan, David Coggon, Isabel Reading, Peter Croft, Patricia Byng, Ken Cox, Paul Dieppe, Cyrus Cooper, Arthritis Care & Research, December 2007.