Hip Avascular Necrosis

Diagnosing Hip Avascular Necrosis

If you have symptoms of avascular necrosis, make sure to get care. If left untreated, avascular necrosis can damage the hip joint and cause arthritis.

Signs & Symptoms

Symptoms of hip avascular necrosis can mimic other conditions, so see your doctor if you experience: 

• A limp
• Limited range of motion in your hip
• Pain when bearing weight or lying down
• Stiffness
• Worsening pain

Diagnosis

Your doctor may use one of the following tests to check for signs of avascular necrosis:

• Computed tomography (CT) scan—to create detailed images of your hip joint.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)—to detect bone damage.
• Radionuclide bone scan—to measure blood flow to your hip bone.
• X-ray—of the hip bones and surrounding tissue.

Hip Avascular Necrosis Treatment

Treatment for hip avascular necrosis depends on the cause and severity of tissue damage.

Nonsurgical Treatments

When caught early, we can often treat hip avascular necrosis with nonsurgical methods. Medication and assistive devices, such as a cane, crutch or walker, can reduce pain and relieve pressure on the hip joint. 

Surgical Treatments

Severe cases of avascular necrosis may require surgery. Surgical interventions include:

• Bone graft—to replace the damaged bone with healthy bone.
• Core decompression—to remove part of the inner layer of the bone to reduce pressure and improve blood flow.
• Joint replacement—to implant an artificial joint in place of the damaged joint.
• Osteotomy—to reshape the bone to shift weight off the affected joint.