Archive · 12 Aug 2026
Raising awareness on avascular necrosis: early detection saves hip
Sometimes the hip bone doesn't get enough blood.
This is called avascular necrosis, or AVN for short.
It can cause pain in the hip, groin, or lower back.
The pain often starts small, so people may ignore it.
But persistent pain means you should see a bone doctor.
Special scans like an MRI can find the problem early.
If caught early, treatments like stem cells might save the hip.
If it gets worse, a person may need a new hip joint.
Robots help doctors do this surgery very precisely.
So the key message is: don't ignore hip or groin pain.
The Deccan Hospital in Somajiguda, Hyderabad, is raising awareness about avascular necrosis (AVN) of the hip, a condition in which blood supply to the hip joint is compromised.
Orthopaedic specialists have observed an increase in AVN patients after the COVID-19 pandemic, whereas fractures were previously a common indication for hip replacement.
Early symptoms include mild pain in the groin, hip, or lower back; an X-ray may appear normal, making MRI especially useful for early detection.
Stem-cell-based therapies may preserve the natural hip in Stages 1 and 2 AVN, but in Stages 3 and 4 total hip replacement is generally the most appropriate treatment option.
Robotic-assisted joint replacement technology helps surgeons plan implant positioning with precision, while the surgeon remains in control of the operation.
- Who
- The Deccan Hospital in Somajiguda, Hyderabad, and its orthopaedic specialists, who evaluate and manage hip and knee disorders.
- What
- A public-awareness effort explaining avascular necrosis (AVN) of the hip, its early warning signs, and treatment options including stem-cell therapy and robotic-assisted joint replacement.
- When
- Reported after the COVID-19 pandemic, a period in which specialists observed an increase in patients presenting with AVN; no specific date is given in the article.
- Where
- The Deccan Hospital, Somajiguda, Hyderabad.
- Why
- To urge people not to ignore persistent hip, groin, or lower-back pain, because early diagnosis can preserve the natural hip and delay or avoid the need for total hip replacement.
- Condition
- Avascular necrosis (AVN) of the hip
- Cause
- Compromised blood supply to the hip joint, leading to bone damage
- Hospital
- The Deccan Hospital, Somajiguda, Hyderabad
- Early symptom
- Mild pain in the groin, hip, or lower back
- Diagnosis
- MRI is especially useful for early AVN; CT scans may be advised in selected cases; X-rays may appear normal in early stages
- Early-stage treatment (Stages 1-2)
- Joint-preserving treatments, including selected stem-cell-based therapies
- Advanced-stage treatment (Stages 3-4)
- Total hip replacement is generally the most appropriate option
- Post-pandemic trend
- Increase in patients presenting with AVN after the COVID-19 pandemic