Also called: Also called: Aseptic necrosis, Avascular necrosis, Ischemic necrosis
Osteonecrosis occurs when your bones lose their blood supply. The bones die and eventually collapse, leading to pain and arthritis. You can have osteonecrosis in one or several bones. It is most common in the upper leg. Other common sites are your upper arm and your knees, shoulders and ankles. The disease can affect men and women of any age, but it usually strikes in your thirties, forties or fifties.
Early in the disease you might not have any symptoms. Later, you will probably have joint pain that becomes more severe as the disease gets worse.
No one is sure what causes the disease. Risk factors include
- Long-term steroid treatment
- Alcohol abuse
- Joint injuries
- Having certain diseases, including arthritis and cancer
Treatments include medicines, using crutches, limiting activities that put weight on the affected joints, electrical stimulation and surgery.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
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What Is Osteonecrosis?
(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) - http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Osteonecrosis/osteonecrosis_ff.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.niams.nih.gov/Portal_en_espanol/Informacion_de_salud/Osteonecrosis/default.asp
- Avascular Necrosis(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/avascular-necrosis/DS00650/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Osteonecrosis(American College of Rheumatology) - http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/diseases_and_conditions/osteonecrosis.asp?aud=pat
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Questions and Answers about Osteonecrosis (Avascular Necrosis)(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) - http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Osteonecrosis/default.asp
- Bone Scan: Using Nuclear Medicine to Find Bone Abnormalities(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/bone-scan/CA00020/METHOD=print
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Computed Tomography (CT): Body(American College of Radiology, Radiological Society of North America) - http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=bodyct
Also available in Spanish http://www.radiologyinfo.org/sp/info.cfm?pg=bodyct
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Questions and Answers about Hip Replacement(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) - http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Hip_Replacement/default.asp
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Total Joint Replacement(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00233
Also available in Spanish http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00484
- Kienböck's Disease(American Society for Surgery of the Hand, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00017
- Osteonecrosis of the Hip(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00216
- Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ)(National Osteoporosis Foundation) - http://www.nof.org/patientinfo/osteonecrosis.htm
- Osteonecrosis of the Knee(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00225
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Osteonecrosis(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Osteonecrosis%22
- Article: Degree of corticosteroid treatment within the first 2 months of... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18839369&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Thrombophilia, hypofibrinolysis, the eNOS T-786C polymorphism, and multifocal osteonecrosis. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18829920&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Prognostic factors and outcome of treatment in Perthes' disease: a... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18827249&tool=MedlinePlus
- Osteonecrosis -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(osteonecrosis[majr]+OR+osteoradionecrosis[majr])+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Find an Orthopaedist(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://www6.aaos.org/about/public/members.cfm
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons - http://www.aaos.org/
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National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - http://www.niams.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://www.niams.nih.gov/Portal_En_Espanol/
- Kohler's Disease: Does It Cause Permanent Bone Damage?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/kohlers-disease/AN00468/METHOD=print
- Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease(Children's Hospital Boston) - http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site1231/mainpageS1231P0.html
- Perthes Disease(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons) - http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00070&return_link=0
- Hip Injuries and Disorders - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/hipinjuriesanddisorders.html
- Bones, Joints and Muscles - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bonesjointsandmuscles.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Osteonecrosis is the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases - http://www.niams.nih.gov/