New Delhi: Even as the country grapples with the coronavirus pandemic, three cases of Avascular Necrosis (AVN) have been reported from patients who have recovered from COVID-19 at Delhi’s BLK Super Specialty Hospital.
The patients who have been diagnosed with avascular necrosis are in the age group of 32 to 40 years. Two patients are undergoing treatment, while one is to undergo surgery.
Health experts dealing with patients with AVN blame it on steroid overuse and call it steroid-induced bone necrosis.
Dr Ishwar Bohra of BLK Institute for Bone said, “AVN is a post-Covid sequel”.
“Like other post COVID afflictions, recently we are seeing in femoral head bone and joint-segment avascular necrosis as so many steroids are rich in use in COVID treatment. It is not an immediate effect and it may take up to 3 months to a year for the steroids to show effect in the joints,” Dr Bohra told ANI
“Steroids soften the bones and the cartilage starts to fall down and the blood supply is also reduced. This is steroid-induced bone necrosis,” he said.
AVN, also known as osteonecrosis, is one of the various fungal infections seen in patients recovering from COVID-19.
In AVN, the loss of blood supply leads to the death of bone tissue. A broken bone or a dislocated joint can obstruct blood flow to a part of the bone.
Infection can cause small breaks in the bone, which can eventually lead to bone fractures.
The cases in Delhi have come to the fore after three cases of AVN were first reported in Mumbai allegedly among patients who have recovered from COVID-19.
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