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Book

Avascular Necrosis

Alexander H. Matthews, Donald D. Davis  1 , Michael J. Fish  2 , David Stitson  3
In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan.
.
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Book

Avascular Necrosis

Alexander H. Matthews et al.
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Excerpt

Osteonecrosis is a degenerative bone condition characterized by the death of cellular components of the bone secondary to an interruption of the subchondral blood supply.[1] It is also known as avascular necrosis, aseptic necrosis, and ischemic bone necrosis. It typically affects the epiphysis of long bones at weight-bearing joints. Severe cases can lead to the destruction of subchondral bone or the collapse of an entire joint.

The most common sites for AVN are the femoral head, knee, talus, and humeral head. The hip is the most common location overall. AVN less commonly occurs in other bones of the body, such as the carpus and jaw. Therefore, early recognition and treatment of osteonecrosis are essential.[2] This activity discusses the etiology and pathogenesis of the disease. Additionally, it includes the presentation and treatment options of the most common forms of osteonecrosis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: Alexander Matthews declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Donald Davis declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Michael Fish declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: David Stitson declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

References

    1. Lespasio MJ, Sodhi N, Mont MA. Osteonecrosis of the Hip: A Primer. Perm J. 2019;23 - PMC - PubMed
    1. Weinstein RS. Glucocorticoid-induced osteonecrosis. Endocrine. 2012 Apr;41(2):183-90. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Afshar A, Tabrizi A. Avascular Necrosis of the Carpal Bones Other Than Kienböck Disease. J Hand Surg Am. 2020 Feb;45(2):148-152. - PubMed
    1. Mücke T, Krestan CR, Mitchell DA, Kirschke JS, Wutzl A. Bisphosphonate and Medication-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw: A Review. Semin Musculoskelet Radiol. 2016 Jul;20(3):305-314. - PubMed
    1. Shah KN, Racine J, Jones LC, Aaron RK. Pathophysiology and risk factors for osteonecrosis. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2015 Sep;8(3):201-9. - PMC - PubMed

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