What is avascular necrosis?

Avascular necrosis is caused by a blockage in the flow of blood to bone tissue. Bones are living tissues, and your skeletal system is constantly changing as it makes new bone tissue to replace aging bone tissue that eventually breaks down and dies.

If you can imagine a cycle, your body replaces tissue breaking down and dying by building new tissue. Such a cycle must enable your bones to grow healthy and strong. Blood is the source of the nutrients and oxygen that supply the impetus for bones to remain healthy and increase in strength. With a lack of blood supply, your skeletal system can't generate new bone tissue at a rate that would repair the loss. Bone tissue dies, crumbling and ultimately collapsing.

How common is avascular necrosis?

10,000 to 20,000 Americans develop avascular necrosis every year. It can strike anyone at any age, but this disease primarily strikes during the mid and late 30s and 40s.

How avascular necrosis occurs?

Avascular necrosis can occur in the bone tissue of any joint, but most commonly, it strikes your hip. Other joints which may develop avascular necrosis are:

• Ankles.
• Jaw.
• Knees.
• The upper arm (humerus) and shoulders.

What are the symptoms of avascular necrosis?

It may take weeks or even months before there will be symptoms that will indicate that you have avascular necrosis. Here is a list of some symptoms that appear over time, which could be signs of avascular necrosis:

• You feel some intermittent pain that worsens when you remove the pressure on your bone and does ease.
• We are increasing pain and stiff joints.
• Limited range of motion.
• Limping, especially if you have avascular necrosis in the hip and knee.
• Difficulty climbing stairs, standing, or walking.

What causes avascular necrosis?

Avascular necrosis may occur in bone tissue of any joint, but most commonly, it strikes your hip. Other joints which may develop avascular necrosis are:

Avascular necrosis is caused by bone fractures or disease that would result in preventing blood flow toward bone tissue. It has been established that around 20% of avascular necrosis cases have no known cause.

Causes of avascular necrosis that are known include:

• Traumatic avascular necrosis: This can be caused by breaking a bone or even the dislocation of a joint.
• Non-traumatic avascular necrosis: This occurs when a disease or medical condition affects the supply of blood to bone tissue. Non-traumatic avascular necrosis commonly occurs in one bone on both sides of the body. For instance, if you have avascular necrosis in your right shoulder, you most likely have it in your left shoulder.

Which of the following bone fractures tend to cause traumatic avascular necrosis?

Some types of bone fractures are more likely to cause avascular necrosis. Joint bones associated with traumatic non-traumatic avascular necrosis are:

Hip fractures and dislocations: About 20% of people who experience hip dislocation (the hip is no longer positioned in the joint as it normally would be) develop avascular necrosis.

What diseases or medical conditions cause non-traumatic avascular necrosis?

Several medical conditions or therapies can cause avascular necrosis:

• Osteoporosis: Older women (and some men) sometimes have spontaneous avascular necrosis of the knee (SPONK).
• Blood disorders, including sickle cell anemia.
• Diabetes
• Cancer therapies, including radiation therapy.
• Decompression sickness in scuba divers.
• HIV.
• Lupus.
• Organ transplants.

Which lifestyle activities increase the risk of developing avascular necrosis?

Some lifestyle activities that raise the risk include:

• Heavy consumption of alcohol.
• Smoking
• Long-term use of corticosteroids, prednisone.

What is the diagnosis for avascular necrosis?

Along with evaluating your symptoms, your healthcare professional will also do a physical examination. Any or all of the following tests might be administered to you:

• X-rays to identify broken bones and evidence of arthritis.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

How do healthcare professionals treat avascular necrosis?

Your treatment will depend on how much damage your bones are damaged. Possible therapies you may be treated with if your bone damage is confined to smaller bones that do not provide significant weight support include:

• Cold packs.
• Heat treatment.
• Rest.
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
• Physical therapy helps enhance range of motion and lessen joint soreness.
• Walking assistance like crutches and canes.

What is the treatment for more advanced forms of avascular necrosis?

You may need surgery to treat the avascular necrosis. Surgical treatments may include:

• Core decompression: Your surgeon drills small holes, or cores, in the affected bone to increase blood flow to the bone of concern. This procedure is typically done with injections or bone grafts to boost healing.
• They replaced your badly damaged joint with an artificial one. Hip and knee replacements are 95% effective for pain relief and mobility restoration in people with avascular necrosis.

How can I avoid or prevent avascular necrosis?

You probably cannot avoid or prevent avascular necrosis, but you can work towards reducing its risk:

• Quit smoking.
• Reduce your alcohol intake.
• Watch your cholesterol level.

If you take corticosteroids for an ongoing medical condition, you and your healthcare provider should discuss the possibility of tapering a dose.

Is avascular necrosis reversible?

Treatment for avascular necrosis can slow its progression but cannot reverse it. Most people with avascular necrosis end up with some type of surgery, such as joint replacement. People with avascular necrosis are also at risk for developing severe osteoarthritis.

Living With

When should I call my healthcare provider?

Avascular necrosis is a chronic condition that deteriorates with time. If you have it, monitor your symptoms, primarily pain and loss of mobility.

Call your healthcare provider if you experience any of the following:

• Pain that does not change with rest or treatment with pain relievers
• Pain that makes it difficult for you to walk or move
• Limping that is unexplained.

To seek an expert consultation for any orthopedic condition.

Call us at +91-9076972161
Email at care@tenderpalm.com

Request a Call Back