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Avascular [ay-vass-cue-lar] necrosis [neh-croh-sus] of the knee, or osteonecrosis [ahs-tee-oh-neh-croh-sus], is when cells in the bones of the knee die because they are not getting enough blood. When enough bone cells die, the bones begin to weaken and break down. This causes pain, arthritis, and difficulty moving the knee. It is a rare cause of knee pain and disability. Avascular necrosis of the knee can happen on it’s own, or it can be caused by another illness or the result of injury.
Avascular [ay-vass-cue-lar] necrosis [neh-croh-sus] of the knee, or osteonecrosis [ahs-tee-oh-neh-croh-sus], is when cells in the bones of the knee die because they are not getting enough blood. When enough bone cells die, the bones begin to weaken and break down. This causes pain, arthritis, and difficulty moving the knee. It is a rare cause of knee pain and disability.
There are three types of avascular necrosis of knee:
The most common symptoms of avascular necrosis of the knee are pain and stiffness in the knee.
Avascular necrosis of the knee happens when the blood supply is cut off to the bone cells in the knee. Anything that causes pressure to build up and crowd the bone marrow can reduce the blood supply to the bone cells. Anything that clogs blood vessels or makes them more narrow can also make it difficult for the blood to get to the bones.
You are more likely to have avascular necrosis of the knee if you:
Other things that can cause avascular necrosis are:
Your healthcare provider may do any or all of the following to find out what’s causing the pain in your knee:
Non-surgical treatments for avascular necrosis of the knee include:
Surgical treatments for avascular necrosis of the knee include:
Some of the causes of avascular necrosis of the knee are not known, or are not preventable (like lupus or sickle cell anemia). However, there are some things you can do to reduce your risk:
NIH National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, “Questions and Answers About Osteonecrosis (Avascular Necrosis)”: https://www.niams.nih.gov/health_info/Osteonecrosis/
American College of Rheumatology, “Osteonecrosis”: https://www.rheumatology.org/I-Am-A/Patient-Caregiver/Diseases-Conditions/Osteonecrosis