Avascular necrosis of hip

Eddy

Hello

Does anyone on the forum have any advice on management of this condition ( AVN) . Been diagnosed recently in right hip following MRI scan and finding mobilising difficult. Surgeon not happy to operate until it gets worse but I have constant pain.

Thank you

Anna

Hello @Eddy and welcome to the online community,

I understand that you have recently been diagnosed with AVN in your hips and are finding mobilising difficult. Your surgeon doesn't want to operate until it gets worse but you are in constant pain and would like some advice on management of your condition.

I've linked to the AVN charity which has some useful advice and information, including some self-help suggestions for managing the pain.

https://www.avncharity.org.uk/

I'm also posting a link to the Versus Arthritis page on coping with hip pain - you might find some more advice here:

https://www.versusarthritis.org/news/2021/november/ways-to-help-manage-hip-pain/

I am sure there are members on the forum who have experienced living with AVN, and I hope some come along and share their experience. Please do have a look round the forum and join in any conversations wherever you feel comfortable.

Do let us know how you're getting on,

Anna (Mod)

pmas

Hello Eddy, sorry to hear that you’ve been diagnosed with AVN of your hip.

In 2020 I was diagnosed with mild OA in left hip. In 2021 this had progressed to severe OA in both hips. When I saw a surgeon in September 2021, he confirmed idiopathic AVN (no known cause), advising me not to weightbear and that both hips would have to be replaced.

This all happened during the COVID pandemic so there were delays waiting for X-ray and MRI appointments. My local NHS hospital was allowed to start elective surgery on 1Feb 22 - and I was done on 3 Feb!

So, in Feb 2022 I had left hip replaced and in April 2022 had right hip replaced - just 11 weeks apart! I was 68 at the time of both surgeries. I’m still having physio as I had quite a lot of muscle wastage in one leg. I’m told that the pain from AVN is more intense than OA but I can assure you that once you have THR all AVN pain is gone.

The fact that you have an AVN diagnosis puts you in a higher priority for surgery, so I think you have to trust your surgeon who I’m sure will monitor your condition carefully.

Good luck.

frogmorton

Hi @Eddy

My daughter got AVN in her right hip and left shoulder at 18 due to steroid and chemotherapy for leukaemia. Her steroids were high dose dexamethasone which people are now being given for covid. In her case she was still growing when the blood supply was killed.

Her left hip was treated with percutaneous core decompression to stave off the need for replacement and has so far been successful.

Unfortunately her shoulder was beyond conservative management and was replaced at age 19. Doesn't bode well for the future but she was in so much pain she had no 'present' at the time.

Worth a chat about options to delay surgery or not I wonder?

Take care

Toni x