| A 30-35 year young patient enters my clinic with a | | | | Now, the important questions are |
| limping gait. He complains of pain in his Right hip joint | | | | A) What do we do now? |
| especially while attempting to squat or sit cross | | | | B) What will be the long term fate? |
| legged. His wife describes numerous night awakenings | | | | AVN is presumed to be caused by raised |
| due to sudden painful spasms. The pain has been | | | | Intra-osseous pressure within the femur head; which |
| there for almost 6 months now, and is worsening | | | | eventually causes destruction of bone cells resulting in |
| every week. | | | | collapse and later degenerative arthritis. |
| I asked for an X-ray of both the hip joints. | | | | If presented early, the femoral head may be |
| The X-ray did not reveal anything significant. So, I | | | | preserved by use of certain drugs which prevent |
| asked for an MRI of the hip joints. Now, the | | | | bone destruction. These drugs have shown good |
| sequence of events started. There was evidence of | | | | improvement if continued over a period of 2-3 years. |
| Avascular necrosis of Femur Head in Right hip joint. | | | | If there are changes in the femoral head, or |
| Avascular Necrosis of Hip or AVN as often used by | | | | persistent pain; moderate relief may be obtained by |
| Orthopaedic surgeons, describes damage to the | | | | core decompression of the femoral head and neck. |
| Femur head (upper end of thigh bone) which forms | | | | This supposedly reduces intra-osseous pressure and |
| an articulation with the Acetabulum (socket). | | | | preserves femoral head viability. However, there is no |
| It produces pain in the Hip joint which gets | | | | warranty against worsening of status. |
| aggravated with movements and in late stages | | | | In late stages, when the arthritis supervenes, the |
| blocks all movements due to florid arthritis. | | | | only option left is Total Hip Replacement. |