AVN or Avascular Necrosis
Avascular necrosis or AVN occurs from a variety of causes. Dr. Dennis Lox sees many patients with AVN for regenerative medicine and stem cell therapy. Avascular necrosis or AVN is also referred to as osteonecrosis. AVN occurs when the blood supply to a region of bone becomes disrupted. This leads to necrosis or bone cell death. The hip is the most frequent encountered, followed by the shoulder, then the knee. Regenerative medicine has become a viable treatment option for AVN. As being told there is nothing to do but eventual joint replacement which is not comforting.
Causes of AVN
Trauma is the most frequent cause of AVN. Trauma may result in impairment of the blood flow by shearing of blood vessels, which occurs in fracture and dislocations, or also by minute changes to blood flow as the result of trauma. Obviously, the greater the degree of blood flow occlusion, the greater the propensity for ischemic changes and necrotic lesions of bone. https://www.webmd.com/arthritis/avascular-necrosis-osteonecrosis-symptoms-treatments
Idiopathic Osteonecrosis
Idiopathic Osteonecrosis or Avascular Necrosis occurs without a known causation factor. There may still be a cause that has yet to be identified or never be found. This is frustrating for patients and families, as everyone wants answers.
Medical conditions also are associated with an increased risk of Avascular Necrosis https://www.drlox.com/medical-conditions-treated/avascular-necrosis/. The most common is excessive cortisone use. Dr. Lox has seen nearly every risk factor, including some of the more rarely noted conditions. Dr. Lox an expert in Sports and Regenerative Medicine has treated many of these conditions.
These include:
Radiation and Chemotherapy
Autoimmune disorders (RA and Lupus)
Excessive Corticosteroids
Excessive Alcohol consumption
Gaucher’s disease
AIDS
Caisson’s disease (decompression sickness)
Coagulopathies
Vasculitis
Sickle cell disease
Dr. Lox and AVN
Not all are isolated events, it can be multifactorial. For instance, Lupus may be treated with high dose corticosteroids on a repetitive basis. This leads to the question of which factor or was it both that caused the necrosis. Dr. Lox has seen a ballet dancer with repetitive trauma, sickle cell trait, and severe asthma treated numerous times with intravenous corticosteroids. This shows sometimes the issue is not the cause, but the clinical picture.
Avascular Necrosis is often complex, and the discussion of using Regenerative Medicine therapies and Stem Cell Therapy should be done with an experienced expert in this field.