Drug to Treat Brittle Bones Could HALF HALF NUMBER OF HUMIDOIRS REQUIRED, Scientists Say
- Medicines for the treatment of osteoporosis can halve the number of hip replacement surgery
- Scientists have found that the drug denosumab can help protect the hip bone
- An estimated 8,500 hip repair procedures are performed on the NHS each year
A drug used to treat osteoporosis could halve the number of hip replacement surgeries, scientists said yesterday.
An estimated 8,500 hip revision procedures are performed each year at great expense to the NHS.
The repeat procedures, which increase the risk of infection and other complications, are also less effective than initial surgery.
A drug used to treat osteoporosis could halve the number of hip replacement surgery re-operations, as scientists have found 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 re-operations.
Professor Mark Wilkinson, who led the study from Sheffield University, said it was “particularly good news” for younger or more active patients who tend to wear away the plastic part of the implant more quickly.
He said a primary hip replacement costs about £ 6,000, and revisions up to £ 18,000.
The main reason for hip re-surgery is osteolysis – a disease that eats away bone tissue, causing it to weaken and resolve.
The main reason for hip re-surgery is osteolysis – a disease that eats bone tissue, causing it to weaken and dissolve
The disease occurs after joint replacement surgery in which small particles of the implant wear off, causing the body’s immune system to attack the already weakened bone.
This causes the artificial joint to loosen, causing pain and eventually requiring revision surgery.
The team found that giving denosumab to patients could have a “ huge impact ” on thousands of patients who undergo revision surgery every year.
The study, which involved 22 patients in Sheffield’s teaching hospitals, found that denosumab killed about 90 percent of the cells responsible for bone loss in patients as a result of hip revision surgery.
Professor Wilkinson added: ‘It is very clear from our bone biopsies and bone imaging that the injection stops the bone from absorbing the micro-plastic particles from the replacement joint and therefore may prevent the bone from being eaten away and the need for revision surgery.
“We now hope to conduct a much larger phase 3 clinical trial and are looking for opportunities to continue this groundbreaking research that could revolutionize the way we treat patients at risk of needing secondary joint replacement.”