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United States
- Glossary
- | Contact Us
- | FAQ
- | Site Index
- Your hip anatomy
- Sports-related injuries
- Osteoarthritis of the Hip
- Rheumatoid Arthritis of the Hip
- Post-traumatic Arthritis of the Hip
- Avascular necrosis
- Dysplasia
- Inflammatory arthritis
Avascular necrosis
What is avascular necrosis?
Causes of avascular necrosis
Symptoms of avascular necrosis
Treatment of avascular necrosis
Avascular necrosis, often referred to as osteonecrosis, literally means, “dead bone.” This condition is a form of arthritis in which the ball of the hip joint, femoral head, is affected by avascular necrosis. This leads to the development of arthritis in the joint. Cells in the bone and bone marrow begin to die from a decrease in blood supply to the femoral head. This decrease in circulation causes the bone to weaken, die and finally collapse. Avascular necrosis most often occurs in younger and middle-aged adults and usually affects the large weight-bearing joints of the hips and knees, but may also affect the shoulders.
Fractures and dislocations of the hip can produce avascular necrosis if the arteries that supply blood to this area are damaged. Avascular necrosis can also occur from blockage in blood vessels caused by sickle cell anemia, abnormal red blood cells and fat particles. Alcoholism and large doses of steroids are other factors that increase your risk of developing avascular necrosis.
In the earliest stage of avascular necrosis, there are usually no symptoms in the hip. However, as the condition progresses, pain in your hip joint becomes the most common symptom. After standing or walking, this pain becomes worse. The bone may even collapse if left untreated. This injures the cartilage of the hip joint and results in a progressive limitation of your hip motion due to arthritis.
Medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), aspirin and analgesics can help the pain. While hip replacement surgery is often required to regain quality of life, younger, more active patients should talk to their doctor about their eligibility for hip resurfacing surgery.
Find out more about your treatment options:
- Lifestyle Modifications for Hip Treatment
Learn about controlling arthritis and other joint pain and lifestyle modifications for hip health.
- Medication and Nutrition for Hip Pain
Explore analgesics, non-steroidal medication and nutrition. Discover help for arthritis pain and joint pain.
- Hip Resurfacing
Learn about the BIRMINGHAM HIP◊ Resurfacing System implant, an alternative to total hip replacement for an active lifestyle.
- Hip Replacement
Learn about new options for hip replacement surgery and OXINIUM◊ Oxidized Zirconium implant technologies for ending hip pain. - Hip Revision Surgery
Find out about some of the situations that require hip revision surgery.