ORTHOPEDICS/HIP & KNEE/ PAIN REASONS
Hip Osteonecrosis, also known by “Avascular Necrosis”, is a disorder concerned the blood supply to the hip joint bone.
This disorder occurs when there is an disruption of the blood flow to the femur head (the ball, of the ball-and-socket hip joint).
This deficiency of blood supply to the bone cells causes a lessening in oxygen and nutrients delivery to the bone, consequently, the bone cells die.
Therefore, when the bone cells are torn, its strength diminished significantly, and the bone is disposed to failure.
Reasons
Reasons of hip Osteonecrosis is not yet known exactly.
When hip Osteonecrosis happens, the joint and the cartilage weaken, Arthritis rapidly progresses, and the bone falls.
Note that most patients with hip Osteonecrosis are linked with either alcoholism or steroid abuse.
Other risk features that may develop hip Osteonecrosis comprise sickle cell disease, trauma (disarticulation or crack), lupus in addition to some genetic syndromes.
Signs
Little warning signs may appear with hip Osteonecrosis such as hip pain and difficulty walking.
Other signs of hip osteonecrosis embrace:
- Aching pain in the groin
- Pain with hip movement
- Difficulty walking or limp
Diagnosis
Two tests are most helpful in diagnosing hip Osteonecrosis:
X-rays and MRI.
X-ray may show complete normality, or it may show hip joint serious damage.
MRI is performed to anticipate hip Osteonecrosis.
When X-ray confirm the presence of hip Osteonecrosis, surgical switching processes are recommended.
Therapy
Hip Osteonecrosis therapy should be launched before the damage being aggravated because the problem tends to evolve rapidly in the absence of any remedial intervention.
At early stages of hip Osteonecrosis, supports with anti-inflammatory medicines can be supportive.
Surgical alternatives
- hip decompression:
At early stage, a hip decompression surgery is done to decreased the pressure within the femoral head that may be subsidizing to the lack of the normal blood flow.
- Vascularized bone implant:
This process consist of moving healthy bone from the lower leg (along with the blood vessels attached to the bone), and fix it into the hip osteonecrosis zone in order to deliver normal blood flow to the damaged hip.
To conclude
The frequent surgical hip Osteonecrosis therapy is an entire hip switching.
One more alternative dedicated for younger patients known by hip resurfacing surgery is a similar technique to a standard hip switching with one difference, less normal bone are removed.