The second wave of Covid-19 has been fading away across the country but the post-hospitalisation complications have thrown another set of challenges to the doctors. Several recovered patients became victims of black fungus while some developed blood clots, hearing issues, hair loss among other side effects. Now, a few Covid-19 patients in Mumbai have reported avascular necrosis (AVN) also known as death of bone tissues. This condition develops when blood doesn’t properly reach bone tissues.
According to the Times of India, at least three confirmed cases of avascular necrosis have been reported in patients who were treated for Covid-19 at Hinduja hospital a few months back. However, doctors have found a common link between cases of black fungus and avascular necrosis – steroids. Steroids, which are the only proven drug to help Covid-19 patients, were administered to thousands of patients during the second wave of coronavirus and doctors now fear more such cases could pop up in the coming time.
“These patients developed pain in their femur bone (the highest part of the thigh bone) and, since they were doctors, they recognised the symptoms and rushed for treatment,” Dr Sanjay Agarwala, the medical director of Hinduja hospital, told the Times of India. All the three patients were below 40 years of age during treatment.
The British Medical Journal (BMJ) on Saturday also published Dr Agarwala’s research paper titled ‘Avascular necrosis as part of long Covid-19’ where he said that AVN cases could see a rise due to large scale use of corticosteroids in Covid-19 cases.
Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government is also observing the new trend. Dr Rahul Pandit, who is a member of the state government’s Covid-19 task force, said that steroids were liberally used during the peak of the second wave in April. However, he is on the lookout for AVN cases. Dr Pandit, who is also an intensivist, noted that more AVN cases could be reported within a month, as the condition develops five to six months after the steroid use.
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