Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease (LCPD) Treatment

What Causes LCPD?

The cause for LCPD is obscure. Medical stream lists that it happens commonly in children who are between 3 to 12 years of age. Boys are affected around 4 to 5 times more than girls. Usually, just a single hip is affected, even though it is possible to have LCPD in both hips.

What are the Signs or Symptoms of LCPD?

Symptoms of LCPD include:

• Limping
• Arthritis
• Severe pain in the hip during physical activity
• Agonising pain in thigh or knee
• Legs are of different lengths
• Experiencing pain while doing normal activities

How the Diagnosis is Made?

• X-ray X-ray utilises electromagnetic radiation in the soft x-ray band to create pictures of body's inner structures. This is a primary diagnosis which is helpful in detecting LCPD.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) An MRI is an imaging test that may be used to detect any unusual tissue or obstruction. The doctor makes you lie on a table. You are slid into a tunnel-like machine, where magnetic field radio wave pulses scan your body and create the images of your body. Whether to inject a dye or not is the doctor’s decision.
• Bone Scan A bone scan is a nuclear medicine test. This implies the procedure uses a small amount of radioactive substance, called a tracer. The tracer is infused into a vein. Regions which absorb too much tracer are the locations which need urgent medical intervention. It is one of the most preferred diagnostic procedures for LCPD.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) An MRI is a symptomatic strategy that uses large magnets, radio frequencies, and a PC to create high definition pictures of organs and structures inside the body. This test is managed without the using x-rays

The Stages of LCPD

• Introductory Poor bloodstream to the femoral head causes degeneration of bone tissue. Inflammation can cause limping at this stage, which may last for a while.
• Fragmentation The dead bone tissue is removed and supplanted by the body. At first, the substitution bone is softer and weaker than a healthy bone. It can be modified by normal activities like walking, jogging, strolling and climbing stairs. The state of the femoral head changes amid this time. Patients are advised to refrain from playing sports or pursuing any activity which might cause a fracture. This stage can last up to 2 years.
• Reossification The longest stage lasts for a couple of years. The recently formed femoral head becomes stronger and sturdier.
• Healed The bone grows completely, and the femoral head shape is back to its original form. Full movement of the hip is restored.

What Treatment Options are Available for LCPD?

Non-surgical ways to deal with treatment may include:

• Resting the joint
• Limiting the action
• Non-steroidal pain medication
• Bed rest and footing
• Casting and bracing to support the hip joint

Legg-Calve-Perthes (LCPD) Surgical treatment

If the non-invasive methods fail to provide any relief, the patient may need a surgical intervention to hold the round head of the thigh bone in the hip attachment. The medical procedure includes restoring the affected bones (osteotomy) and doing realignment with screws and plates.

What is the Prognosis?

The children who are treated for Legg-Calve-Perthes illness show tremendous improvement which enables them to walk, play, and pursue sports. Diagnosing and treating Perthes disease right at its initial stage extraordinarily improves the probability of a quick recovery.