Circumstances of Injury:

I’m a volunteer soldier who joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine on January 31, 2022. I completed my medical commission on February 23—and the very next day, on February 24, Russia launched its full-scale invasion.

In late November 2023, during the defense of Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region, I was wounded. An enemy drone dropped an explosive device, and one of the fragments struck my knee. A combat medic nearby immediately provided first aid and bandaged the wound, allowing me to continue the mission until we were rotated out and evacuated.

I was later taken to the emergency hospital in Kharkiv. Unfortunately, an MRI of my hip joints wasn’t performed at the time, even though I was already experiencing serious symptoms—my legs occasionally went numb and stopped responding.

In 2025, doctors finally diagnosed me with bilateral aseptic necrosis:

• Left hip — stage II (later progressed to stage III)

• Right hip — stage III (later progressed to stage IV)

This condition occurs when the blood supply to the bone tissue in the hip joints is disrupted, leading to cell death, severe pain, and the gradual destruction of the joint. Over time, my condition worsened, and now both hips require complex surgical treatment to restore mobility and relieve constant pain.

Diagnosis:

Bilateral aseptic necrosis of the femoral heads (left — stage II, right — stage III). Bilateral coxarthrosis — stage III. Combined contracture of both hip joints. Chronic pain syndrome. Impaired mobility and gait.

Bilateral aseptic necrosis means that, due to disrupted blood flow, the bone tissue in both hip joints has started to die — precisely where the femur connects to the pelvis.

• Left hip (stage II): early bone damage has begun.

• Right hip (stage III): the destruction is advanced, and the joint surface is deformed.

Stage III bilateral coxarthrosis — severe arthritis in both hips caused by the bones grinding against each other. This leads to constant pain, stiffness, and loss of movement.

Combined contracture — both hip joints are partially “locked,” making it difficult to bend or straighten the legs.

Chronic pain syndrome — the pain is constant and intense, especially during movement or when standing.

Impaired mobility and gait — walking becomes extremely difficult, often possible only with crutches or the support of others.

Clinical Decision:

Total hip replacement of the right joint.

A total hip replacement is a complex surgical procedure in which the damaged hip joint is completely replaced with an artificial implant (prosthesis).

In this case, the right hip joint — where the femur connects to the pelvis — must be replaced due to severe bone destruction and loss of joint function. This surgery will help relieve pain, restore mobility, and significantly improve the patient’s quality of life.