Clinical Value of Routine Follow-Up Radiographs in Total Joint Arthroplasty

Routine follow-up radiographs in our study did not reveal any significant abnormalities nor did they result in changes to patient management, indicating a lack of clinical utility. Given that these radiographs impose considerable financial and resource burdens, their necessity is questionable. Based on the National Health Service (NHS) tariff costs, the potential savings from discontinuing routine radiographs in our cohort amounted to £3,129 annually. Extrapolating this to the national level, with approximately 150,000 total knee and hip replacements performed each year in the UK, suggests that substantial costs could be avoided.