What Is Hip Necrosis?
What Causes Hip Necrosis?
Hip necrosis can be caused by a number of factors.
Below is a list of common causes for hip osteonecrosis:
- "Idiopathic" - This is the commonest label for the cause of hip osteonecrosis. This means that a clear cause is not immediately obvious and a specific cause may not be identified.
- Traumatic injuries - Sustaining a traumatic injury, such as a fracture or dislocation, can impede or disrupt the blood flow in the hip.
- Excessive alcohol - Consuming heavy amounts of alcohol can greatly increase your risk of hip necrosis. This is because alcohol can create fatty deposits in your blood vessels, which can impair your blood flow.
- Using corticosteroids - Corticosteroids are a type of anti-inflammatory medication that is meant to treat rheumatologic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, and they are often used as part of chemotherapy regimens to treat certain cancers. Although these medications are efficacious for these treatments, they can secondarily affect the function of your blood vessels and lead to hip osteonecrosis.
- Certain medical conditions - Having certain medical conditions, such as blood clotting disorders, vasculitis, and HIV, can increase your risk of hip necrosis.
- Radiation therapy - If you are receiving radiation therapy in the pelvic area, it can increase your risk of hip necrosis.
Understanding the potential causes can help you be more proactive in preventing hip necrosis from occurring.
What Are The Treatments For Hip Necrosis?
Hip osteonecrosis can be treated through a variety of methods. The most appropriate treatment for hip necrosis varies from patient to patient. Several factors need to be considered, such as the severity, how damaged the hip bone is, the cause, and the patient's current health.
The following treatments for hip necrosis include the following:
- Medications - Medications, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatories or other pain medication, can be prescribed to treat hip osteonecrosis. Additionally, there is some evidence that bisphosphonate drugs may help prevent bone collapse in early stage osteonecrosis.
- Physical therapy - Physical therapy sessions can help patients suffering from hip necrosis can help strengthen the hip muscles, maintain the mobility of the hip joint, increase blood flow, and improve hip function.
- Core decompression - Core decompression is a surgical procedure where holes are drilled into the hip bone as a way to relieve pressure and promote blood vessel growth. This is considered to be the most effective option for treating early signs of hip necrosis, before there is bone collapse.
- Bone grafting - Bone grafting is another surgical procedure, usually in conjunction with core decompression, that is performed if a large section of the hip bone is affected by necrosis.
- Osteotomy - Osteotomy is a surgical procedure that realigns a patient’s hip joint as a way to redistribute weight. This is meant to help relieve pressure and stress on the affected area of your hip bone.
- Hip Replacement - Once there is collapse of the bone, hip replacement is usually the treatment of choice to reconstruct the hip joint.
During your appointment with Dr. McLawhorn, he will explain more about these treatments in more detail. It is important to be transparent about your medical history so he can determine the best treatment option for your situation.
Dr. McLawhorn is a hip and knee specialist at Hospital for Special Surgery serving patients in New York and Connecticut. To learn more, call 203-659-0048 (CT) 917-277-3841 (NYC) today or schedule an appointment by using the form on this page.
