What is avascular necrosis (osteonecrosis)?
Avascular necrosis is the death of bone tissue due to a lack of blood supply.
It is also called osteonecrosis.
It can lead to tiny breaks in the bone and the bone's eventual collapse. A broken bone or dislocated joint can interrupt the blood flow to a section of bone.
Anyone can be affected, but the condition is most common in people between the ages of 30 and 50.
Symptoms
Many people have no symptoms in the early stages of avascular necrosis.
As the condition worsens, your affected joint might hurt only when you put weight on it. Eventually, you might feel the pain even when you're lying down.
Pain can be mild or severe and usually develops gradually. Pain associated with avascular necrosis of the hip might center on the groin, thigh or buttock. Besides the hip, the areas likely to be affected are the shoulder, knee, hand and foot.
Causes
Avascular necrosis occurs when blood flow to a bone is interrupted or reduced. Reduced blood supply can be caused by:
- Joint or bone trauma.
- Fatty deposits in blood vessels.
- Certain diseases. Medical conditions, such as sickle cell anemia and Gaucher's disease, also can cause diminished blood flow to bone.
For about 25 percent of people with avascular necrosis, the cause of interrupted blood flow is unknown.
Risk factors for developing avascular necrosis include:
- Trauma, Injuries.
- Steroid use.
- Excessive alcohol use.
- Bisphosphonate use.
- Organ transplantation.
Medical conditions associated with avascular necrosis include:
- Pancreatitis
- Diabetes
- Gaucher's disease
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
- Sickle cell anemia
Source:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/avascular-necrosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20369859
