Avascular+Necrosis

== =__What is Avascular Necrosis?__= Avascular necrosis is a disease which results in a lack of blood supplied to the bones. Because the blood flow is cut off to the bone, the bone begins to collapse as bone tissue dies. If it happens to occur near a joint, the joint may also collapse. It is possible to occur with any bone, however it is most frequently found in the ends of long bones. It can affect multiple bones at once, at different times, or even only one specific bone.

=__What are the causes of avascular necrosis?__= The main things that may result in avascular necrosis can be thrown into two different categories- The more specific risk factors would include: Having one of these factors will not guarantee the disease, however it will contribute to the possibility of its occurance- some more than others. Knowing the risk factors, one should try to change behavior or take the appropriate steps to avoid developing avascular necrosis, however.
 * Traumatic causes (fracture, damage to blood vessels, injury, etc)
 * Non-traumatic causes (long-term use of certain medications, excessive use of alcohol)
 * Injury
 * Steroid use
 * [|Gaucher disease]
 * Chemotherapy
 * [|Pancreatitis]
 * [|Decompression disease]
 * Alcohol use
 * Blood disorders (i.e. [|sickle cell anemia])
 * Radiation treatments

=__What are the symptoms?__= While symptoms may differ between sufferers, the following are the most common symptoms of avascular necrosis. These symptoms also may be similar to those of another disease, and one should always consult their physician for a true diagnosis.
 * Minimal early joint pain
 * Increased joint pain as bone or joints collapse
 * Limited range of motion due to pain

=__How is it diagnosed?__= Your physician should first do a complete medical history and physical examination, followed perhaps by an imaging procedure. This process could be any of the following: If your physician does not do either of these, there are other methods of obtaining information. They will then either perform a biopsy, or do a functional evaluation of the bone.
 * X -Ray
 * [|CAT scan]
 * [|MRI]
 * [|Radionuclide bone scan]

=__What are the treatments?__= The main goal of treatment for avascular necrosis would be to stop further bone or joint collapse, or to improve functionality. Treatments are absolutely necessary to prevent further deterioration, and would include: Along with those, they also may perform electrical stimulation and combination therapies to try and promote new bone growth.
 * Medication for the pain
 * Assistive devices to keep pressure off the affected area
 * [|Osteotomy]
 * [|Bone graft]
 * [|arthroplasty]