What causes continuous pain in the hip?

Q: My wife, who is 30 years old, is suffering from pain in her right hip. This pain started since her 8 month of pregnancy and she is suffering from it continously for about 3 years. The pain is quite severe when she stands for long periods or walks. Now the pain is such that she cannot fold her legs to sit down. The orthopaeadicians have diagonosed that the blood supply in her hips is not proper but they are unable to ascribe any specific reason for the pain. She has been advised to go for a minor operation but the chances of success are very little. Can I get her operated?

A:It seems as if she has avascular necrosis of the femoral head. This is due to decrease in the circulation and can be due to many reasons. There are stages of this condition and treatment varies accordingly. If it is an early stage of 1 or 2, simple core decompression is a good option. Late stages may require reconstruction or replacement. Without surgery, progression is inevitable and arthritis would set in sooner or later.