For many people who contracted the COVID-19 virus, they experienced several symptoms such as difficulty in breathing, loss of smell and taste, severe congestion among others. While the symptoms subsided after some recovered, others had trouble dealing with the virus.
Long COVID-19 is the term that was coined in 2020 when many patients continued to experience symptoms even after their initial recovery. This condition has also been called post-Covid-19 syndrome.
Prolonged COVID-19 affects people differently as some may experience brain fog, fatigue or shortness of breath while others may complain of joint pain, chest pain and cough. One of the conditions reported by doctors as part of the long COVID-19 was avascular necrosis (AVN) or bone death.
According to experts, avascular necrosis is a disease that occurs due to the temporary or permanent loss of blood supply to a bone. As the blood supply is cut off, bone tissue dies, causing bone to break down. This condition is associated with long-term use of high-dose steroids, while alcohol consumption also plays a role.
According to a study published in BMJ Case Reports, a patient is more likely to develop avascular necrosis after COVID-19. This possibility increases when the patient is using steroids.
When it comes to the treatment of avascular necrosis, studies claim that it aims to provide relief to the patient, prevent relapse, halt disease progression, and restore joint function. There are many treatments available for avascular necrosis but no standardized protocol exists.
Studies claim that arthroplasty, which is a surgical procedure to restore the function of a joint, is quite effective in the treatment of arthroplasty. However, studies have shown that the use of bisphosphonates has also produced significant positive results and has been effective in slowing disease progression. In bisphosphonates treatment, a group of drugs are used to slow bone loss. Although this procedure is slow, it saves the patient from having to undergo surgery.
However, doctors recommend that it is prudent to have an MRI scan in case of avascular necrosis as it is the most sensitive and least invasive test to diagnose the condition. Furthermore, when avascular necrosis is picked up early, it reduces patient morbidity by bisphosphonate therapy. Therefore, MRI is advised at the initial suspicion of avascular necrosis.
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