In this article, we will take a closer look at the treatment for the avascular necrosis of the femoral head. If you approach your doctor with a complaint of joint pain and reduced mobility, they will press your joints and check for tenderness in different positions. They will also conduct imaging tests like X- rays, MRIs and CT scans to find out the exact source of pain. Without further ado then, let us look at what these imaging tests reveal
An X-ray can show if any changes have occurred in the bone. This approach only detects AVN at the later stages. An MRI and a CT scan can produce images that can detect bone changes at earlier stages. A bone scan can also be conducted in this case. In this process, radioactive material is injected and a tracer is used to detect the injured or abnormal parts in the bones.
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Medication
Once avascular necrosis is detected, the aim of the physician is to stop further damage to the bone. Early stages and symptoms of avascular necrosis can be controlled by medication and physical therapy. Drugs that are non steroidal and anti- inflammatory can help with pain relief. Cholesterol lowering drugs can reduce blockages that are responsible for avascular necrosis while clotting can be reduced by blood thinners.
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Exercise and Rest
The less stress you put on your bones, the slower is the damage. If you are diagnosed with avascular necrosis then you might have to reduce your physical activity or use measures to reduce the weight on your joint. One such measure is by using crutches. Physical therapy in consultation with the doctor can slowly improve joint mobility.
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Surgical Intervention
If the avascular necrosis symptoms are detected at an advanced stage then surgical interventions are required. In a core decompression surgery, the doctor removes a small inner layer of the bone which reduces pain and stimulates growth of new tissue. Other methods involve bone transplants from a graft taken from a healthy bone.
Yet another method is that of surgically replacing the joint. Here, the damaged parts of the joint are removed and replaced by metal or plastic parts. A new mode of treatment is bone regeneration through stem cell treatment. In the procedure, stem cells are collected from the bone marrow and inserted into the place where the damaged core of the hipbone used to be. This allows for new bone growth
Conclusion
If you are looking for an orthopedic specialist in Mumbai who can assist you with premium quality avascular necrosis treatment then there is no one better than Dr Niraj Vora- the top joint replacement surgeon in India. A gold medalist in Orthopaedics, Dr Niraj Vora specializes in hip and knee replacement surgery.
He has experience of teaching, training and working in the UK and currently practices as a hip replacement surgeon in Mumbai. With more than 3500 successful primary and revisionary joint replacement surgeries, he is the doctor you should approach in case you are having any orthopaedic trouble.