Cases of post-COVID related osteonecrosis of the jaw rise in Vietnam
VOV.VN - Over the past months, several hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City have received an increasing number of patients suffering osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), with some deaths reported.
The Ho Chi Minh City-based Central Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology alone have received 16 cases, while Cho Ray Hospital and ho Chi Minh City Otorhinolaryngology Hospital have treated 11 and five similar cases respectively, reported the two hospitals.
The number of hospitalisations has increased dramatically in recent months instead of just one case in two or three months as previously seen, said a doctor.
It’s noteworthy that these patients had previously been infected with COVID-19, and they had shown symptoms of ONJ one to three months after virus infection. Most of them suffered diabetes as an underlying disease.
The most common symptoms are loose teeth and maxillary bone, purulent fistula, painful swelling of the palate, and ulceration.
Dr. Nguyen Trung Cap, deputy director of Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases, said that the patients may have got opportunistic fungal infection, and it is unknown if the disease is caused by COVID-19.
According to the expert, some severely immunocompromised patients may be infected with opportunistic bacteria or fungi in the post-COVID-19 period, leading to more severe health conditions.
“We need to do more research to understand the relationship between COVID-19 infection and these diseases. What needs to be done is not to get infected, because any illness will affect our health,” said the health professional.
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health immediately asked hospitals to keep a close watch on the disease and make reports to the department.
Next week the department will host a consultation with experts to accurately assess the situation, clarify the cause, and access data from around the world to introduce solutions, said Dr. Tang Chi Thuong, director of the department.
According to the American College of Rheumatology, osteonecrosis of the jaw occurs when the jaw bone is exposed and begins to starve from a lack of blood. Most ONJ cases happen after a dental extraction.
ONJ is associated with cancer treatments (including radiation), infection, steroid use, or antiresorptive medications used for osteoporosis.
According to a case series published in BMC Infectious Diseases in June, patients who recover from COVID-19 may be at risk of developing spontaneous osteonecrosis of the jaw. These are believed to be the first reported cases of jaw osteonecrosis following SARS-CoV-2 infection.