Hip Prognosis & Avascular Necrosis (AVN)
Posted by S.J. Owens | | Posted On Thursday, July 8, 2010 at 5:59 PM
Many of you know of my ongoing aliment with my hips. Prognosis today indicates I have Avascular Necrosis (AVN) of the hips in which it is effecting both hip bones. AVN is the death of bone; in other words, blood is not reaching the ball socket and that bone is dying. The black areas I have outlined in the image below in my MRI show the death/necrosis. Those areas should be predominately white-ish.
What causes AVN? For some it can attributed to blood coagulation & circulatory issues, persons being exposed to high doses of steroids throughout their lives, excessive alcohol use, and for some like me...there is no answer what caused this. Here are some factoids:
AVN or Osteonecrosis (ON), a bone disease that few have heard of. Some where between 10,000 and 20,000 people are diagnosed with this disease each year in the United States alone. Yet, with the population of the United States of approximately 274 million, these people are being lost in the crowd. Osteonecrosis (ON) affects approximately 20,000 new patients per year in the United States. Although any age group may develop ON, most patients are between 20 and 50 years old, with the average age in the late 30's. The diagnosis of ON does not affect life expectancy, and for this reason several hundred thousand patients are living with this disease in the U.S. alone.
I have just learned that I will need a Free Vascularized Fibular Graft (FVFG) to cure this. FVFG is the procedure by which surgeons go into the leg and cut a piece of the leg bone out and graft it to the dead area of bone in the hip. Both blood vessels and bone are extracted then fused together so that blood flow can once again circulate throughout the area that was once dead. More on FVFG can be found here: Duke FVFG. The procedure is spearheaded by one of the countries leading AVN Researchers and Pioneer of the disease, Dr. James R. Urbaniak of Duke University. I will need to go to Durham, NC to Duke Univ. Medical Center for the procedure.... and not just once, but twice; as I cannot have both hips done at once.
Avascular Necrosis/Ostenecrosis..... I just have no words but to say to myself, "Welcome to the beginning of Old Age!"
What causes AVN? For some it can attributed to blood coagulation & circulatory issues, persons being exposed to high doses of steroids throughout their lives, excessive alcohol use, and for some like me...there is no answer what caused this. Here are some factoids:
AVN or Osteonecrosis (ON), a bone disease that few have heard of. Some where between 10,000 and 20,000 people are diagnosed with this disease each year in the United States alone. Yet, with the population of the United States of approximately 274 million, these people are being lost in the crowd. Osteonecrosis (ON) affects approximately 20,000 new patients per year in the United States. Although any age group may develop ON, most patients are between 20 and 50 years old, with the average age in the late 30's. The diagnosis of ON does not affect life expectancy, and for this reason several hundred thousand patients are living with this disease in the U.S. alone.
I have just learned that I will need a Free Vascularized Fibular Graft (FVFG) to cure this. FVFG is the procedure by which surgeons go into the leg and cut a piece of the leg bone out and graft it to the dead area of bone in the hip. Both blood vessels and bone are extracted then fused together so that blood flow can once again circulate throughout the area that was once dead. More on FVFG can be found here: Duke FVFG. The procedure is spearheaded by one of the countries leading AVN Researchers and Pioneer of the disease, Dr. James R. Urbaniak of Duke University. I will need to go to Durham, NC to Duke Univ. Medical Center for the procedure.... and not just once, but twice; as I cannot have both hips done at once.
Avascular Necrosis/Ostenecrosis..... I just have no words but to say to myself, "Welcome to the beginning of Old Age!"
Holy smokes! Let me know if I can do anything for you!
Holy smokes Scott! Let me know if I can do anything for you!
Hey there. Sorry to hear about the AVN. I have it too and it is no fun at all. Check out the group: osteonecrosis@yahoogroups.com for lots of info.
Scott,
I was unaware of your hip problem, but I know that having a problem walking is very depressing. I am having a vascular bypass done in my leg behind my left knee to restore circulation to my lower leg and foot. I can only walk about 100 yds without cramps in my calf and foot. Old age does have its drawbacks. I know that the best Doctors are at Duke and if anyone can fix you they can. Good luck and I will keep you in my prayers for a speedy recovery from surgery. You have got to be able to run to keep up with your children for many years to come. With best regards, Tom Fairchild.
Praying for your complete healing with the surgeries.