34-Year Old Resumes Walking Post Avascular Necrosis of Hip – A Success Story

Avascular Necrosis (AVN) is a common condition among youngsters in India. The most common joint affected by the disease is the hip. A temporary or permanent loss of blood supply to the femoral head results in AVN. When blood supply is cut off, the bone tissues die and the bone collapses resulting in secondary hip arthritis. 50% of the hip replacement cases occur due to AVN of the hip specifically in people who drink an inordinate amount of alcohol, have taken steroids for long duration. In some cases the cause is not known. These factors eventually cause a decreased blood supply to the bones resulting in AVN.

Here is the case of a 34-year old male patient from Sirsa, who consulted Dr. Vikram Jain with chronic pain in both his hips, which prevailed for over 2 years. He was diagnosed with AVN due to consumption of unprescribed medication, most likely steroids, for body building. He had been suffering from severe pain even though he was on painkillers for a period of six months.

The only possible option was the Total Hip Replacement (THR). The need for the surgery is usually determined by factors like the age of the patient, kinds of activities he would be exposed to post surgery and most importantly the survival period of the implant. The patient underwent an un-cemented Verilast large head replacement for both sides on the same day at the Aadhar Health Institute, using minimally invasive technique (MIS). The surgery didn’t require any blood transfusion.

“While traditional hip implants wear out in 10-15 years, the new VerilastOxinium implant lasts for more than 30 years, due to an extremely low coefficient of friction of the Oxinium head articulating with highly cross linked polyethylene on the acetabular side.” says Dr. Jain, Director, Department of Orthopaedics and Joint Replacement, Aadhar Health Institute.

Today, post rehabilitation, the patient is able to walk, climb stairs, and perform squatting and other activities without any support. He no more complains of any sort of pain, and to his delight enjoys a normal lifestyle.

This case adds yet another success story into several other challenging cases where Dr. Vikram Jain and his dedicated team at the Aadhar Health Institute have been successfully contributing in improving the quality life of their patients.