Women's health expert, Professor John Studd points out the increasing amount of important data that supports the need for hormone therapy, Currently more than 2% of surgical procedures to replace the knee or hip have to be repeated within three years. In the majority of cases this is due to osteolysis, which is a condition that occurs when particles from the implant leak into surrounding tissue causing an inflammatory response that then destroys the bone around the implant.
The study compared women on HRT with those who weren't and the risk of repeat surgery was compared for a minimum of three years. In his article 'HRT helps to prevent repeat knee and hip replacement surgery', Prof Studd says, "Those women who had taken HRT regularly for six months or more after their surgery were 38% less likely to require repeat surgery than were those who had not done so. In addition, those who regularly took HRT for 12 months or more after their procedure were more than 50% less likely to need further surgery during the three year monitoring period".
Low levels of the female hormone oestrogen have been implicated in bone thinning and loss, while HRT is thought to help conserve bone thickness.
