What is Avascular Necrosis (AVN) or Osteonecrosis of the Hip?
• Bone is living tissue with living cells that require a blood supply. “Avascular” means loss of blood supply; “necrosis” means death. Loss of blood supply to the hip can result in the death of bone or avascular necrosis, or in other words, “dead bone.” • Avascular necrosis is commonly referred to as “AVN.” More recently the name osteonecrosis (“ON” for short) has been used. “Osteo” means bone; Osteonecrosis means death of bone. • The femoral head (the ball part of the ball and socket hip joint) is the most frequent bone involved. • AVN affects about 20,000 new patients per year in the United States. • Several hundred thousand patients are living with this disease in the United States. • Of the 250,000 joint replacements done each year, about 10% are done for patients with AVN.
