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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staffAvascular necrosis occurs when blood flow to a bone is interrupted or reduced, which may be caused by:
- Joint injury. Impacts that result in a broken bone or a dislocated joint may also damage or destroy nearby blood vessels. Without a steady supply of oxygen and nutrients, bone cells die.
- Narrowed blood vessels. The blood flow to a bone can be decreased if the passage through a vessel becomes narrowed or clogged, most commonly by a tiny bit of fat or — in the case of sickle cell anemia — by clumps of deformed blood cells.
- Pressure inside the bone. Some medical treatments or conditions, such as Legg-Calve-Perthes disease or Gaucher's disease, can increase the pressure inside the bone — making it more difficult for fresh blood to enter.
References
- What is osteonecrosis? National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Osteonecrosis/osteonecrosis_ff.asp. Accessed Oct. 26, 2009.
- Donohue JP. Osteonecrosis (avascular necrosis of bone). http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Oct. 26, 2009.
- McKown K. Osteonecrosis. American College of Rheumatology. http://www.rheumatology.org/public/factsheets/diseases_and_conditions/osteonecrosis.asp?aud=pat. Accessed Oct. 26, 2009.
- Osteonecrosis of the hip. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfmtopic=A00216. Accessed Oct. 26, 2009.
- Chang C, et al. Osteonecrosis. In: Firestein GS, et al. Kelley's Textbook of Rheumatology. Philadelphia, Pa.: W.B. Saunders Co.; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/167338938-3/908256960/1807/704.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3285-4..10094-4_3424. Accessed Oct. 27, 2009.
- Goytia RN, et al. Bisphosphonates and osteonecrosis: Potential treatment or serious complication? Orthopedic Clinics of North America. 2009;40:223.
- Dabov G. Osteonecrosis. In: Canale ST, et al. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/167687025-3/909040867/1584/174.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-03329-9..50028-3--cesec56_987. Accessed Oct. 28, 2009.
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