Many people who have contracted the COVID-19 virus have experienced a range of symptoms such as difficulty breathing, loss of smell and taste, severe congestion, and others. While symptoms eased for some as they recovered, others found problems coping with the virus.
Long COVID-19 is the term coined in 2020 when many patients continued to have symptoms after their initial recovery. This condition is also known as a post-COVID-19 syndrome.
Long COVID-19 has different effects on people as some may experience brain fog, fatigue or shortness of breath while others complain of joint pain, chest pain and cough. One of the conditions reported by doctors as part of Lung COVID-19 was avascular necrosis (AVN) or bone death.
According to experts, avascular necrosis is a disease caused by temporary or permanent loss of blood supply to a bone. If the blood supply is cut off, the bone tissue dies, causing the bone to collapse. The condition is associated with long-term use of high-dose steroids, while alcohol intake 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. These chances increase when the patient has taken steroids.
When it comes to treating avascular necrosis, the study claims the goal is to provide patient relief, prevent collapse, slow disease progression and restore joint function. Many treatments are available for avascular necrosis, but no standardized protocol exists.
The study claims that arthroplasty, a surgical procedure to restore the function of a joint, is quite effective in treating arthroplasty. However, studies have shown that the use of bisphosphonates has also shown significant positive results and has been effective in slowing the progression of the disease. Bisphosphonate treatment uses a group of drugs to slow bone loss. Although this process is slow, it prevents the patient from having to undergo surgery.
However, doctors advise that doing an MRI scan is more sensible in the case of avascular necrosis, as it is the most sensitive and least invasive test to diagnose the condition. In addition, when avascular necrosis is picked up early, it reduces patient morbidity from bisphosphonate therapy. Therefore, an MRI is advised in early suspected avascular necrosis.
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