What does AVN mean in HEALTHCARE

What is AVN?

Avascular Necrosis (AVN) occurs when an area of bone loses its blood supply, leading to the death of cells in the affected area which can cause permanent damage to the joint or bone if left untreated. AVN can occur anywhere in the skeleton but typically affects weight-bearing joints such as hips, knees and shoulders. The most common causes are injury or trauma to an area of bone, alcohol abuse and certain diseases such as sickle cell anemia or diabetes. It can also occur spontaneously without any known cause.

Symptoms

The main symptom associated with AVN is localized pain which gradually becomes more intense over time. The most common symptom is stiffness and limited range of motion in the affected joint due to swelling and inflammation caused by the lack of blood supply. Other symptoms include swelling and tenderness around the affected joint or area of bone as well as redness and warmth throughout the skin surrounding it. In more advanced stages deformity may become noticeable due to changes in shape of bones involved in AVN lesions due to collapse or fracture from weakened structures caused by necrotic changes from a lack of blood supply.

Treatment

Treatment for AVN will vary depending on how severe the case is but typically consists of medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids or other medications used for arthritis may be prescribed for pain management along with physical therapy exercises used to prevent joint stiffness and improve range of motion; this reduces stress placed on weakened areas caused by AVN necrotic changes during movement activities involving those areas. In more severe cases surgery may be necessary if there has been significant tissue damage or if other treatments have failed; surgical options vary depending on what type of damage has occurred but may include growth factor injections into damaged area's, core decompression where tiny holes are made into bones reduce intramedullary pressure, synthetic grafts implanted into damaged areas replace lost bones, arthroplasty replacement with artificial parts that simulate natural joints etc.,