Advanced AVN Leads Younger People to Get Hip Replacements

July 19, 2011

Danbury, CT (WTNH) - Younger adults are undergoing hip replacement surgery. A total hip replacement is typically something older people undergo, but that's changing with younger adults seeking relief from different forms of arthritis. Josh Kermashek is only 34 years old and already has gone through total hip replacement surgery. He has avascular cecrosis (AVN).

Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Robert Deveney at Danbury Hospital explains, "It's an alteration in how blood will circulate in a particular portion of the bone 

which leads to a form of arthritis."

"In individuals who have a more advanced stage of AVN, what typically happens is that they develop an arthritis process whereby the bone actually starts to collapse and loses its structural integrity," Dr. Deveney said. "We see them more frequently in patients in their 30s or 40s yes. Why is that? We don't know. We honestly don't know. It has a predilection for younger individuals."

Late stage AVN can lead to the total hip replacement, a treatment that comes down to quality of life. 

"I don't really feel like I had a hip replacement to tell you the truth. I just feel like I went in there, got it fixed and it is just like it was before," Kermashek said. "It's easier to bend down and get back up but you can see that I am definitely progressing everyday."
Within a month, Josh was back to doing most of his daily routine.

For people with a less advanced stage of AVN, there are other surgical options.

< Prev		Next >