Treatment
Appropriate treatment for avascular necrosis is necessary to keep joints from breaking down. If untreated, most patients will experience severe pain and limitation in movement within 2 years. Several treatments are available that can help prevent further bone and joint damage and reduce pain.
Ongoing Process
For most with AVN, treatment is an ongoing process. Doctors may first recommend the least complex and invasive procedure, such as protecting the joint by limiting movement, and watch the effect on the patient's condition. Other treatments then may be used to prevent further bone destruction and reduce pain. It is important that patients carefully follow instructions about activity limitations and work closely with their doctor to ensure that appropriate treatments are used.
To determine the most appropriate treatment, the doctor considers the following aspects:
Treatment Goals
The goal in treating AVN is to:
To reach these goals, the doctor may first use conservative, however, these treatments rarely provide lasting improvement. Therefore, most patients will eventually need surgical treatment.
