Gurgaon: Persistent pain in hip, Joint or waist area – doctors The city has been receiving complaints of Avascular Necrosis (AVN) from patients who have recently recovered from COVID-19. Following mucormycosis (black fungus), AVN, or ‘bone death’, is a worrying complication seen in such patients.
AVN, also known as osteonecrosis, causes the death of bone tissue due to a lack of blood supply and is particularly being reported by people who were given high doses of corticosteroids. These AVN cases may be caused by steroids, but more research is needed to establish a connection between the two, the doctors said.
AVN can cause small breaks in the bone and the bone may eventually collapse. It can affect one bone or several bones at a time. It is the hip that it affects most often. “Those who are recovering covid, especially those being treated with steroids should avoid smoking and alcohol consumption at all costs. The diagnosis of AVN takes about three to four months. Surgery may be required to treat AVN, including replacement of the joint or hip,” said Dr Gurdeep Singh, orthopedic surgeon at Columbia Asia Hospital.
Dr Arvind Mehra, Head of the Department of Orthopedics and Trauma at Paras Hospital, said: “After the onset of Covid, the number of AVN cases is increasing rapidly. If it is not controlled in the beginning, it can be a challenge as big as mucormycosis.
He added, “But it should be noted that not all patients who are on steroids will develop bone necrosis. This only occurs in people who are sensitive to certain steroids or who have medical conditions that can cause AVN can give birth. When this happens, the bone becomes like a soft potato because of the placement.”
Currently, however, AVN as a result of COVID has not yet been documented. Dr JBS Jaggi, Associate Director (Orthopedics & Joint Replacement), Max Hospital said, “Due to the massive use of life saving steroids in Covid cases, we are anticipating AVN cases. We are suddenly seeing young adults with early AVN in the hip who are being picked up by MRI scans. Early diagnosis will be a game-changer if we are to save the hip. Otherwise, many of them may require hip replacement surgery in the near future or suffer debilitating pain, which may limit their lifestyle and quality of life.”
Gurgaon Chief Medical Officer Dr Virendra Yadav said that many of the recovered patients were suffering from neuro-psychological and vascular complications. “At present, we are not 100% sure that AVN is a post-Covid complication. We will investigate each case to gather information about whether these cases are directly related to Kovid.
AVN, also known as osteonecrosis, causes the death of bone tissue due to a lack of blood supply and is particularly being reported by people who were given high doses of corticosteroids. These AVN cases may be caused by steroids, but more research is needed to establish a connection between the two, the doctors said.
AVN can cause small breaks in the bone and the bone may eventually collapse. It can affect one bone or several bones at a time. It is the hip that it affects most often. “Those who are recovering covid, especially those being treated with steroids should avoid smoking and alcohol consumption at all costs. The diagnosis of AVN takes about three to four months. Surgery may be required to treat AVN, including replacement of the joint or hip,” said Dr Gurdeep Singh, orthopedic surgeon at Columbia Asia Hospital.
Dr Arvind Mehra, Head of the Department of Orthopedics and Trauma at Paras Hospital, said: “After the onset of Covid, the number of AVN cases is increasing rapidly. If it is not controlled in the beginning, it can be a challenge as big as mucormycosis.
He added, “But it should be noted that not all patients who are on steroids will develop bone necrosis. This only occurs in people who are sensitive to certain steroids or who have medical conditions that can cause AVN can give birth. When this happens, the bone becomes like a soft potato because of the placement.”
Currently, however, AVN as a result of COVID has not yet been documented. Dr JBS Jaggi, Associate Director (Orthopedics & Joint Replacement), Max Hospital said, “Due to the massive use of life saving steroids in Covid cases, we are anticipating AVN cases. We are suddenly seeing young adults with early AVN in the hip who are being picked up by MRI scans. Early diagnosis will be a game-changer if we are to save the hip. Otherwise, many of them may require hip replacement surgery in the near future or suffer debilitating pain, which may limit their lifestyle and quality of life.”
Gurgaon Chief Medical Officer Dr Virendra Yadav said that many of the recovered patients were suffering from neuro-psychological and vascular complications. “At present, we are not 100% sure that AVN is a post-Covid complication. We will investigate each case to gather information about whether these cases are directly related to Kovid.
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