After black fungus, now ‘bone death’ reported in Covid patients! Likely causes to treatment, here’s what we know so far

After black fungus, a new kind of health complication is arising among Covid -29 patients undergoing critical care treatment. The new conditions that have left the health experts baffled cause the death of bone tissues or avascular necrosis. Three confirmed cases of AVN have already been reported in Mumbai.

The common factor between mucormycosis and avascular necrosis is found to be the overuse of steroids. The condition is affecting young patients as well who developed pain in the femur bone after recovering from Covid-19. While experts continue to introspect the serious post-Covid health concern, here what we know about AVN so far

What is Avascular Necrosis

According to John Hopkin’s University, avascular necrosis is temporary or permanent loss of blood. Once the blood supply dies completely in a bone tissue dies and the bone ends up collapsing. If such a condition affects bone joint areas, this can lead to permanent disability.

Recent cases of necrosis have been diagnosed in hip bones, but it can happen in any bone in the body. The early stages of the condition have almost no symptoms, but slowly severe pain starts troubling the patients especially when they try to carry weight or participate in activities that require frequent mobility.

How Covid-19 triggers ‘death of bone tissues’

The medical fraternity is looking into the implication of cCovid-19 causing AVN. One apparent link as that in mucormycosis is the much-debated overuse of steroids in the treatment of Covid-19. Although the exact cause is unknown the use of drugs like prednisone used to act down on inflammation caused by the virus can increase the lipid levels in the blood and reduce blood flow in the body. This can further result in damage to vital organs.

It is yet to be asserted as to who suffers the higher risk of developing AVN, but doctors advise that Covid-19 patients can suffer from hip or thigh pain to get an MRI done, bone scan, and X-rays at the earliest for prompt diagnosis.

How AVN can be treated

Early diagnosis is the key to the treatment of AVN. A typical treatment plan for necrosis involves the use of blood thinners, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, osteoporosis drugs, cholesterol-lowering drugs, and physiotherapy to relieve the pain, therapies, and exercises.  Surgical intervention is required to remove the damaged inner layer of the bone and core decompression.

Often when people don’t develop symptoms in AVN reach advanced stages, surgical intervention like core decompression, bone transplant, joint replacement, regenerative medicine treatment is required.