Knee AVN Treatments: Regenerative Therapy
Patients are also seeking stem cell therapy in cases of knee AVN as an alternative to knee joint replacement surgery. In fact, stem cell therapy is becoming a more frequent request for patients who wish to avoid all knee surgery, or who have not found the success they desire after already having had knee surgery. These patients are opting for knee stem cell treatment instead.
The possibility of diminished knee pain, improvement in function, walking, daily activities or sports participation all are part of the equation in factoring knee stem cell options. The possibility of avoiding knee replacement surgery is a very frequent consideration, especially for patients with knee AVN.
What Causes Knee AVN
Trauma is the leading cause of knee AVN. Another leading cause of AVN is idiopathic or unknown etiologies. Other associated or causative factors include excessive corticosteroids (cortisone), autoimmune disorders (Lupus or Rheumatoid Arthritis), radiation therapy, chemotherapy, excessive alcohol use, sickle cell disease, decompression sickness, coagulation disorders, Vasculitis, lipid storage disease, and AIDS.
This secondary degeneration is the most feared complication of the initial diagnosis of AVN. The rationale for stem cell therapy with knee AVN is to retard secondary degeneration or promote a healing cascade via a variety of mechanisms.
Knee Pain
Knee pain is a common orthopedic problem. Avascular necrosis (AVN) occurs when the blood supply to a region of bone becomes impaired. This loss of blood supply results in ischemia leading to bone cell death or necrosis. This is commonly called avascular necrosis (AVN), though many other names have been used to describe the same condition.
