A global shortage of bone cement is threatening to delay hip and knee replacement surgeries across the NHS in the UK, causing concern among patients and health experts.
The NHS in the UK is facing significant disruptions in the delivery of hip and knee operations due to a critical shortage of medical bone cement, which is essential for anchoring artificial joints. This situation arises from a global supply issue primarily linked to Heraeus Medical, the NHS’s main supplier based in Germany, which has reported a packaging fault that has severely impacted its ability to deliver the necessary materials. Experts and healthcare professionals are warning that this shortage could lead to delays in surgeries that many patients have been anticipating for months, exacerbating their health conditions.
