Avascular necrosis & bull; hello healthy

Definition

What is avascular necrosis?

Avascular necrosis is a bone disease that occurs due to temporary or permanent reduced blood flow to the bones. Without an adequate supply of blood, bone cells will die in the bones so that the bones become brittle. When avascular necrosis occurs in a joint, the joint surface will often be destroyed.

Avascular necrosis is the most common condition affecting the ends of long bones such as the femur, upper arm, knee, shoulder blade, ankle bone, and hipbone. This disease can affect one or more bones at a time or perhaps several bones at different times. Avascular necrosis is also called osteonecrosis, aseptic necrosis, and osteonecrosis ischemia.

How common is avascular necrosis?

Both men and women can become infected with avascular necrosis, but the disease affects men more often and usually in those between the ages of 30-50. You can limit your chances of getting this disease by reducing risk factors. Always consult a doctor for more information.

Signs & symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of avascular necrosis?

Symptoms of avascular necrosis usually do not appear in the early stages. As the disease progresses, most patients will complain of painful joints. Initially the pain will only strike when carrying heavy items, but over time it can hurt even when resting. Pain is often mild or severe and may increase slowly over time.

If avascular necrosis develops on the surface of the bone and joint until it is torn, the pain will become very serious and limit the movement of the affected joint.

In some cases, especially avascular necrosis of the hip, the patient may lose joint function, and may result in paralysis. There may be other symptoms that are not listed. If you have questions about signs of illness, consult a doctor.

When should I see a doctor?

Call your doctor right away if you start experiencing symptoms such as bone and joint pain even while resting, or limited joint function. You also need to see a doctor immediately if you have discharge, redness, swelling, and pain after avascular necrosis surgery.

Cause

What causes avascular necrosis?

Avascular necrosis is a condition that occurs due to reduced blood flow to the bones, but the cause of the reduced blood flow is not always clear. Another possible cause is another disease, or after a serious injury such as a fracture or dislocation. Osteonecrosis can occur spontaneously, meaning that the disease occurs without any injury or injury.

Risk factors

What increases my risk for avascular necrosis?

• An injury or injury, such as a fractured hip, can attack surrounding blood vessels and reduce blood flow to the bone.
• Steroid use: the exact cause is unknown, but it is suspected that corticosteroids cause hyperlipidemia resulting in avascular necrosis of the bone.
• Drinking too much alcohol: drinking excessive alcohol every day for several years builds up fat in the blood.
• Bisphosphonates: these drugs increase bone density which can lead to osteoporosis of the jaw.
• Treatment: cancer radiotherapy can weaken the bones. Organ transplants, especially kidneys, might increase the risk of avascular necrosis.
• Certain diseases: acute pancreatitis, diabetes, Gaucher's disease, HIV / AIDS, lupus erythematosus, sickle blood cell anemia.

Medicines & Medicines

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

What are my treatment options for avascular necrosis?

In the early stages of avascular necrosis, doctors often use non-surgical methods of treatment. This method can help reduce pain in a short time, but can not fully recover. These methods include:

• Medication: Your doctor will prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for pain and swelling. For cases of avascular necrosis due to a blood clot blocking the flow of blood, the doctor may give blood thinners.
• Limiting joint use: your doctor may order you to use crutches and limit activities that can affect the joint to reduce injuries that can make recovery longer. Combination with other drugs can help with recovery and avoid surgery.
• A series of exercises improve joint function.
• Electrical stimulation: studies have shown that this method can help bone growth.

In most cases of avascular necrosis, patients often require surgery to be able to recover fully. There are currently 4 types of surgery that are usually useful for treating avascular necrosis, namely:

• Surgery that relieves a pinched core: reduces the pressure inside the bone for more effective blood circulation.
• Osteotomy surgery: changes the shape of the bone to reduce pressure on the injured bone.
• Bone graft surgery: uses healthy bone from another part of the body to replace damaged bone.
• Complete bone replacement surgery: replacing damaged bone with artificial bone.

What are the usual tests for avascular necrosis?

Generally, to diagnose avascular necrosis, the doctor will perform a physical examination and ask about the patient's medical history. The doctor will press on your joint to locate the softened joint and rotate the joint in various directions to check joint function.

Then, the doctor may ask the patient to undergo a number of examinations to help determine which part of the bone is affected and the progression of the disease:

• X-rays: can detect bone changes in the later stages of the disease. In the early stages, the X-ray results are normal.
• MRI and CT: can provide clear images of bone changes at an earlier stage of the X-ray method.
• Bone scan: this is a method that involves injecting a small amount of radioactive material into a blood vessel. If the tissue or bone that is being injected begins to heal, radioactive substances will show signs on the image film.

Home remedies

What are some lifestyle changes or home remedies that can be used to treat avascular necrosis?

The following lifestyle and home remedies that may help treat avascular necrosis are:

• Cut down on alcohol consumption.
• Keep blood cholesterol levels low: cholesterol molecules often clog arteries.
• Manage steroid use: tell your doctor if you use high doses of steroids.

If you have questions, consult your doctor to find the best solution for you.