The drug to treat brittle bones may HALF the number of hip replacements that need to be redone, scientists say
- Medication to treat osteoporosis can halve the number of hip arthroplasty reoperations
- Scientists have found that the drug denosumab can help protect the hip bone
- It is estimated that 8,500 hip revision procedures are performed each year on the NHS
A drug used to treat osteoporosis could halve the number of hip prosthesis reoperations, scientists said yesterday.
It is estimated that 8,500 hip revision procedures are performed each year at an enormous cost to the NHS.
Repeated procedures, which increase the risk of infection and other complications, are also less effective than initial surgery.
A drug used to treat osteoporosis can halve the number of hip arthroplasty reoperations as scientists have found that the drug denosumab can help protect the hip bone (stock image)
But scientists have found that the drug denosumab – already used to treat bone disease – can help protect the hip bone and dramatically reduce the number of reoperations.
Professor Mark Wilkinson, who led the study at Sheffield University, said it was “particularly good news” for younger or more active patients, who tend to wear out the plastic part of the implant more quickly.
He said that a primary hip prosthesis costs about £ 6,000 and revisions can reach £ 18,000.
The main reason for hip reoperation is osteolysis – a disease that corrodes bone tissue, causing it to weaken and dissolve.
The main reason for hip reoperation is osteolysis – a disease that corrodes bone tissue, causing it to weaken and dissolve
The disease occurs after joint replacement surgery, when tiny particles wear out of the implant, causing the body’s immune system to attack already weakened bone.
This causes the artificial joint to loosen, causing pain and eventually requiring revision surgery.
The team found that giving patients denosumab can have a “big impact” on thousands of patients who undergo revision surgery each year.
The trial, which involved 22 patients at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, found that denosumab killed about 90 percent of the cells responsible for bone loss in patients due to hip revision surgery.
Professor Wilkinson added: ‘It is very clear from our bone biopsies and bone images that the injection prevents the bone from absorbing the micro-plastic particles from the replacement joint and therefore can prevent the bone from being destroyed and the need to revision surgery.
‘We now look forward to conducting a much larger Phase 3 clinical trial and looking for opportunities to continue this groundbreaking research that could revolutionize the way we treat patients who are at risk of needing secondary joint replacement.’