Osteonecrosis is a condition in which a bone loses its blood supply. This results in the bone dying and sometimes collapsing. Osteonecrosis can occur near joints, affecting the health of the joint as a whole. There are a variety of both surgical and non-surgical treatment options for patients who have osteonecrosis.
Symptomatic Treatments
There are a variety of treatments for osteonecrosis which do not require any sort of surgical procedure, the Merck Manual explains. Patients can take non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen to treat the pain that this condition can cause. Changes in the patient's daily activities and routines can help relieve stress which can exacerbate the pain. Patients may also benefit from physical therapy, which will help strengthen and support the affected areas. Ultimately, however, these treatments only provide symptomatic relief but they can be sufficient for small areas of osteonecrosis.
Core Decompression
Core decompression is a procedure in which a portion of the inner cylinder of bone near the damaged area is removed. The removal of this healthy bone stimulates the body's healing process which can increase blood flow to the surrounding bone areas and help repair the portions of bone that were damaged by the loss of blood flow. It can also relieve pain and prevent further bone degeneration. Core decompression is most effective for patients who have only recently developed osteonecrosis, the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases explains.
Bone Grafting
Bone grafting works by removing some of the dead bone and replacing it with healthy bone taken from elsewhere in the body. The grafted bone helps support the surrounding bone tissue and also can stimulate the development of new bone. Bone grafting is a difficult procedure and is often only done at surgical centers with extensive experience in the procedure, the Merck Manual reports.
Osteotomy
An osteotomy is a procedure in which the affected part of the bone is surgically reshaped in order to relieve stress and pressure put on the diseased bone. Osteotomy is typically only an option for patients who have a small region of osteonecrosis, the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disorders explains.
Joint Replacement
If osteonecrosis cannot be repaired using any other techniques, the affected bone and its associated joints may be replaced with a prosthesis. Prosthetic joints can help relieve pain and significantly improve range of motion in patients with osteonecrosis. On the other hand, these joints may need to be periodically replaced and carry with them some limitations in terms of what activities the patient can pursue.
