What is Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease?

Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LEG-cal-VAY-PER-theez) is a problem in the hip. It is often called Perthes disease.

Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease occurs when blood temporarily stops flowing to the ball (femoral head) at the top of the thighbone that fits into the hip socket. If the bone does not get enough blood, it dies. The bone collapses and becomes flat. As a result, the ball no longer moves smoothly in the hip socket.

Over the course of several months, the blood supply comes back to the bone. New bone cells gradually replace the dead bone. This process may take 2 or 3 years.

The disease can occur in both hips, but usually not at the same time.

Children with Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease may develop arthritis early and lose some movement in their hips.

Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease in children

Although any child can get Perthes disease, boys with the disease outnumber girls 4 to 1. Usually, they are thin, wiry, very active boys who are smaller than others their age.

Perthes disease usually develops when children are between the ages of 4 and 8. But children as young as age 2 and as old as age 12 can develop the disease.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of Legg-Calve-Perthes disease include:

• Limping

• Pain or stiffness in the hip, groin, thigh or knee

• Limited range of motion of the hip joint

Legg-Calve-Perthes disease usually involves just one hip. Both hips are affected in some children, usually at different times.

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with your doctor if your child begins limping or complains of hip, groin or knee pain. If your child has a fever or can’t bear weight on the leg, seek emergency medical care.

Causes

Legg-Calve-Perthes disease occurs when too little blood is supplied to the ball portion of the hip joint (femoral head). Without an adequate blood supply, this bone becomes unstable, and it may break easily and heal poorly. The underlying cause of the temporary reduction in blood flow to the femoral head is still unknown.

Risk factors

Risk factors for Legg-Calve-Perthes disease include:

• Age. Although Legg-Calve-Perthes disease can affect children of nearly any age, it most commonly occurs between ages 4 and 8.

• Your child’s sex. Legg-Calve-Perthes is up to five times more common in boys than in girls.

• Race. White children are more likely to develop the disorder than are black children.

• Family history. In a small number of cases, Legg-Calve-Perthes appears to run in families.

Complications

Children who have had Legg-Calve-Perthes disease are at higher risk of developing hip arthritis in adulthood particularly if the hip joint heals in an abnormal shape

If the hip bones don’t fit together well after healing, this can cause the joint to wear out early. Hip replacement surgery eventually may be required.

In general, children who are diagnosed with Legg-Calve-Perthes after age 6 are more likely to develop hip problems later in life.

The younger the child is, the better the chances for the hip joint healing in a normal, round shape.

Rare Disease

Approximately 15-20,000 New cases if Avascular Necrosis are diagnosed each year.

Treatment can often help, but this condition can’t be cured.

The earlier the stage of your diagnosis and the sooner you get treatment.

The better the outcome.

A Chronic condition : can last for years or be lifelong

Avascular necrosis is associated with trauma to the bone or joint, clotting disorders,long-term steroid use and drinking too much alcohol.

It’s most common in people between the ages of 30 and 60 and often affects the hip.

Avascular Necrosis can happen in any bone but the most common are

Hip

Knee

Ankle

Shoulder

Early stages of Avascular Necrosis may be symptom-free.

You may not even know you have it until you start to experience pain.

The affected joint may hurt when weight is put on it or even when lying down.

Treatment includes physical therapy, surgery, prp and or stem cell injections and medications.

 I am working every week writing to Senators asking for an awareness day.

I know they are busy but I am confident it will happen eventually.

I write them because when you have a rare condition, there isn’t much research being conducted and sometimes I feel like myself and my group are the only ones raising awareness.

So if I have to be the one to plow through and get proclamations in every state.

Let the writing begin

God Bless you all and wishing everyone a pain free day

Deb Andio

©Debla2018 text and art 2014-2019

Thanks for joining me! Avascular Necrosis is a long crazy road……

I am adding this specific blog site to dedicate it to all that suffer from avascular necrosis and so they can get education information and resources that may help them along the way.

This site is never intended as medical advice its just to educate it is not to diagnosis

FDA Disclaimer: The advice & statements on this blog have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. Any information on this blog is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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Always talk to your primary care doctor.

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