Injured Ballet Dancer Turns to Stem Cells to Mend Foot AVN Injury
An injured ballet dancer developed foot pain. Subsequently, she was diagnosed with avascular necrosis (AVN) of the talus – a foot AVN injury. Living in another state in a large metropolitan area that would support the local arts, she did her research and contacted Dennis M. Lox, MD, to determine if she was a candidate for stem cell therapy.
Dr. Lox has treated many patients with avascular necrosis (AVN). Avascular necrosis sometimes referred to as osteonecrosis, ischemic necrosis, aseptic necrosis or bone infarction is a condition in which the blood supply to a region of bone is impaired (avascular) leading to bone cell death (necrosis). This can cause significant pain and debility, not to mention impair sports performance. If the necrotic portion of bone collapses rapid joint arthritis may ensue.
This leads to a dilemma in the foot as surgical options are less successful for ankle replacement and often ankle fusion is offered as a treatment. This will not only affect ones ability to walk, it precludes most sports participation. For these reasons many athletes who develop AVN are considering stem cell treatment as a viable option to prevent ankle fusion or ankle joint replacement.
