How do you treat avascular necrosis of the wrist?
Treatment
- Resting the wrist: During the early stages, it might be possible to splint and cast the wrist for several months.
- Anti-inflammatory drugs: Ibuprofen, aspirin, and other painkillers may help manage swelling and pain during the early stages.
- Cortisone injections: These may help with symptoms.
What causes avascular necrosis of the wrist?
Kienbock’s disease is a rare bone disorder that affects the lunate, one of your eight wrist bones. The disorder prevents the lunate bone from receiving the necessary amount of blood supply. This lack of blood leads to the death of the bone, also known as avascular necrosis of the lunate.
What is AVN lunate?
Kienbock’s disease is also known as avascular necrosis (AVN) of the lunate. The lunate is one of the eight small bones in the wrist. In this condition, the lunate bone loses its blood supply, leading to death of the bone.
What happens if the lunate bone dies?
This is called osteonecrosis. A loss of blood supply to the lunate causes the bone to lose its structural support, and it will collapse, causing a painful, stiff wrist. Over time, these changes can lead to arthritis of the surrounding bones in the wrist. Normal skeletal anatomy of the hand and wrist.
What causes avascular necrosis of the lunate?
There is probably no single cause of Kienbock’s disease. Its origin may involve multiple factors, such as the blood supply (arteries), blood drainage (veins), and skeletal variations. Trauma, either isolated or repeated, may possibly be a factor in some cases.
Can avascular necrosis spread?
Avascular necrosis cannot spread from one body part to the other. However, there are certain conditions, which cause avascular necrosis in numerous joints of the body. Avascular necrosis may affect numerous bones in certain disorders.
What causes avascular necrosis of the lunate bone?
Avascular necrosis of lunate bone was first described by Robert Kienböck over 100 years ago. It most likely develops as a result of impaired blood supply to the lunate bone and no unequivocal answer has been given as to how such process might occur.
What is avascular necrosis?
Also called osteonecrosis, it can lead to tiny breaks in the bone and the bone’s eventual collapse. A broken bone or dislocated joint can interrupt the blood flow to a section of bone. Avascular necrosis is also associated with long-term use of high-dose steroid medications and excessive alcohol intake.
What are the signs and symptoms of Kienböck disease (avascular lunate bone necrosis)?
Kienböck’s disease (avascular lunate bone necrosis) most often involves the dominant hand in patients between 20 and 40 years of age. Clinical picture in the initial stages of the disease is nonspecific, as most common symptoms include: pain, edema, and limitation of wrist movement.
Can PrP alone treat AVN of the lunate?
PRP alone is devoid of stem cells that are needed for a reparative effect in AVN. Therefore, Stem Cell Therapy is the cornerstone of trying to address AVN of the lunate in a non-surgical fashion. Successful treatment is dependent upon many factors including early intervention.