After black fungus, 3 avascular necrosis cases seen in Covid-recovered patients

All the three patients were diagnosed with the condition in Mumbai’s PD Hinduja Hospital, and two of them did not have any history of hip pain prior to the Avascular necrosis diagnosis

After the outbreak of black fungus or mucormycosis among patients who recovered from coronavirus (Covid-19), avascular necrosis (AVN) - also known as death of bone tissues - has reportedly been detected in three patients in Mumbai.

Medical director of PD Hinduja Hospital, Dr Sanjay Agarwala along with two other doctors of the hospital, have projected that they expect more cases of avascular necrosis.(Ajay Aggarwal / HT Photo)

These patients - all aged under 40 - were treated at Mumbai’s PD Hinduja Hospital in Mahim, after they developed AVN two months since their Covid-19 treatment.

Both AVN and mucormycosis have been associated with the usage of steroids. Recently, Dr Sanjay R Agarwala of Hinduja Hospital published a paper named ‘Avascular necrosis as part of Covid-19’ in the medical journal ‘BMJ Case Studies’ wherein along with doctors Mayank Vijayvargiya, and Prashant Pandey, he detailed the course of AVN diagnosis in the three patients.

He stated that one patient – aged 36 was found with AVN 67 days since the diagnosis of Covid-19, while the other two – aged 39 and 37, were diagnosed with the condition 57 and 55 days later. All the patients were administered intravenous steroids as part of their Covid-19 treatment. Besides, the patients aged 36 and 37 didn’t have any history of hip pain.

“At present, avascular necrosis (AVN) as a sequalae of ’long COVID-19’ has yet not been documented. By large-scale use of life-saving corticosteroids in COVID-19 cases, we anticipate that there will be a resurgence of AVN cases,” the paper by Dr Agarwala stated.

This development comes after it was recently reported that Delhi hospitals are still treating more than 750 patients with Black Fungus, cases of which rose after the fourth wave of coronavirus in the national capital from April to May, data by Delhi government revealed.

Notably, cases of black fungus increased significantly during the surge of infections between April to May in India, with as many as 18 states reporting over 5,000 cases.