Japanese Orthopaedic Association National Registry System (JOANR)

The National Registry of Artificial Joint Replacement was started in Sweden in 1975 [1] and has since been established in Finland, Norway, Denmark, and other Nordic countries. In this study, we examined the registration system of artificial joints in Japan, which was initiated by the Implant Committee of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association in July 2003. The Registry Subcommittee was established in January 2004 to discuss the registration items, ethical guidelines, confidentiality, etc. In February 2006, 10 institutions that were members of the Registry Subcommittee started a pilot program of total hip arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty. The pilot registry for hip and knee arthroplasty was started, and after repeated examinations of the registry system, an expanded trial was started in January 2008, covering 130 centers nationwide. In May 2012, the Japan Arthroplasty Register participated in the 1st International Society of Arthroplasty Registries [2] and became an associate. In April 2014, a web-based registration system using the University Hospital Medical Information Network Center (UMIN) was launched, registration of reverse shoulder arthroplasty began in October, and registration of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty and anatomical shoulder arthroplasty surgery began in 2016. The first turning point in the Japan Arthroplasty Register was that, in 2016, participation in the registry system became a prerequisite for accreditation as a teaching and training hospital of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association, resulting in a significant increase in the registration rate and number of registered centers. The next major turning point was the incorporation of the Japan Arthroplasty Register into the Japanese Orthopaedic Association National Registry (JOANR) from April 2021, with registration still mandatory.