Medication
MRI scan clearly displaying an unusual case of avascular necrosis AVN in the long bones. AVN can be a side effect of the treatment of cancer. The main risk factors for developing it as a result of treatment include:
Procedures
Besides reducing your pain, the extra space within your bone stimulates the production of healthy bone tissue and new blood vessels. Bone transplant (graft). This procedure can help strengthen the area of bone affected by avascular necrosis.
Therapy
Children treated with high doses of corticosteroids ( dexamethasone and prednisone) are at higher risk. Avascular necrosis may be mild and get better on its own after cancer treatment ends, or the condition may be severe, causing pain and long-term disability.
Self-care
Reducing the amount of cholesterol and fat in your blood might help prevent the vessel blockages that can cause avascular necrosis. Blood thinners. If you have a clotting disorder, blood thinners, such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven), might be recommended to prevent clots in the vessels feeding your bones. Rest.
Nutrition
What is avascular necrosis (AVN)?
How can a bone transplant help with avascular necrosis?
What increases the risk of avascular necrosis in children with cancer?
How do you treat avascular necrosis?
What is avascular necrosis?
Avascular necrosis is a disease that results from the temporary or permanent loss of blood supply to the bone. When blood supply is cut off, the bone tissue dies and the bone collapses. If avascular necrosis happens near a joint, the joint surface may collapse.
What are the symptoms of avascular necrosis?
The following are the most common symptoms of avascular necrosis. However, each person may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:
How is avascular necrosis diagnosed?
Along with a complete medical history and physical exam, you may have one or more of the following tests:
How is avascular necrosis treated?
Specific treatment for avascular necrosis will be determined by your healthcare provider based on:
Key Points about Avascular Necrosis
Avascular necrosis is a disease that results from the temporary or permanent loss of blood supply to the bone. It happens most commonly in the ends of a long bone.
Overview
Avascular necrosis happens when something blocks the flow of blood to your bone tissue. Your bones are constantly changing as your skeletal system makes new bone tissue to replace aging bone tissue that eventually breaks down and dies.
Symptoms and Causes
Bone fractures or disease that prevent blood flow to bone tissue causes avascular necrosis. About 20% of avascular necrosis cases happen without an obvious cause.
Diagnosis and Tests
Your healthcare provider will assess your symptoms and perform a physical exam. You may get one or more of these tests:
Management and Treatment
Your treatment will depend on the amount of damage to your bones. Potential treatments you might have if your bone damage is limited to smaller bones that don't bear weight include:
Prevention
You might not be able to prevent avascular necrosis, but there are steps you can take to reduce your risk:
Living With
Avascular necrosis is a progressive condition that gets worse over time. If you have avascular necrosis, you should monitor your symptoms, such as pain and mobility.
How to treat AVN?
The goals of treatment are to: treat the cause of AVN. reduce pain. help you use the affected joint. stop further damage to the joint and prevent collapse.
What type of imaging is used to diagnose AVN?
MRI scan: This type of imaging can help your doctor identify AVN in very early stages and before you experience symptoms. They also can show how much of the bone is affected. CT scan: This gives a 3-D picture of bone but is less sensitive than an MRI scan.
Why does AVN cause pain in the hip?
AVN can lead to joint pain, especially the hip. The damage to the bone occurs from lack of blood flow to bone cells. That often happens from an injury. It’s also commonly due to damage from drinking too much alcohol or taking corticosteroids to manage a chronic health problem.
What is it called when you have AVN in your knee?
It may come on spontaneously, seemingly without a cause. Spontaneous AVN in the knee, for instance, is called SPONK or SONC. Some less common causes of AVN include: the bends, also called decompression sickness and caisson disease, a condition caused by the rapid release of nitrogen into the blood.
What is AVN in medical terms?
Overview. Avascular necrosis (AVN) is a disease of the bone. Necrosis is a general term that means a cell has died. AVN is also called: AVN can lead to joint pain, especially the hip. The damage to the bone occurs from lack of blood flow to bone cells.
What is the best medicine for bone collapse?
Some studies. Trusted Source. show taking bisphosphonate medicines, such as risedronate (Actonel), alendronate (Binosto, Fosamax), and ibandronate, may help prevent bone collapse in the hip or knee, or even improve it.
Can AVN be treated without surgery?
Osteoarthritis can develop. Some people with AVN will need joint replacement surgery. Read on to learn more about this condition.
What is the cause of avascular necrosis?
Avascular necrosis (AVN) is a complex process. The main cause of AVN is a loss of blood supply to the bone. When blood vessels are too small or become damaged or clogged, nutrients and oxygen cannot get to the bone, and bone cells begin to die.
What is the best treatment for AVN?
Physical therapy is important for patients with AVN. A physical therapist can recommend ways for patients to reduce weight bearing and avoid painful activities. They can prescribe specific therapies such as:
What is AVN in medical terms?
Avascular necrosis or AVN, also called osteonecrosis, is a condition that occurs when areas of bone die because of poor blood supply. AVN can occur as a side effect of some cancers or cancer treatments. Children treated with high doses of corticosteroids ( dexamethasone and prednisone) are at higher risk. Avascular necrosis may be mild and get ...
What is AVN in leukemia?
Avascular necrosis (AVN) is a common side effect of leukemia and lymphoma therapies. Up to half of children treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have some degree of AVN. Children who have received a bone marrow transplantation are also at high risk of developing AVN.
What are the factors that determine the severity of AVN?
The severity, or stage, of AVN is important to plan treatments. Doctors consider two main factors: Size of the lesions. Whether damage is in bone that supports the joint surface. If the damaged bone cannot support the joint surface, the bone under the cartilage will start to collapse.
What is the most sensitive imaging test for AVN?
Imaging tests are used to identify areas of AVN, sometimes called lesions. Magnetic resonance imaging (MR) is the most sensitive imaging test for diagnosis of AVN. X-rays are less sensitive but may be helpful for monitoring progression and for following patients after surgery. Less often, other types of tests including bone scans and computerized tomography (CT) may also be used.
Is avascular necrosis a disease?
Avascular necrosis may be mild and get better on its own after cancer treatment ends, or the condition may be severe, causing pain and long-term disability.
What medications can slow the progression of avascular necrosis?
Medications, such as alendronate (Fosamax, Binosto), might slow the progression of avascular necrosis, but the evidence is mixed. Cholesterol-lowering drugs. Reducing the amount of cholesterol and fat in your blood might help prevent the vessel blockages that can cause avascular necrosis. Blood thinners.
What are the tests for avascular necrosis?
In the condition's early stages, X-rays usually appear normal. MRI and CT scan. These tests produce detailed images that can show early changes in bone that might indicate avascular necrosis. Bone scan. A small amount of radioactive material is injected into your vein.
