Avascular Necrosis - finished Flashcards
What is osteonecrosis?
Death of osseous cellular bone. Most commonly primary, idiopathic or spontaneous.
Where is osteonecrosis commonly found?
Usually found as isolated lesions in the femoral capital epiphysis, distal femur, met heads.
What can cause osteonecrosis?
Trauma: as a result of poor circulation to the bone
Drugs: corticosteroids possibly produce fat emboli
Radiation: unknown mechanism
Alcoholism: possibly due to fat emboli and increase marrow fat
Gout: not clear mechanism
What is the clinical presentation of osteonecrosis?
Local or referred pain
Antalgia
Reduced painful ROM
Adjacent muscle atrophy
What are the radiological features of osteonecrosis?
Commonly seen in epiphyseal centres especially the femoral head, humeral head, distal femur, metaphyseal and diaphyseal areas of long bones.
May see:
- epiphyseal infarction
- fragmentation
- mottled trabecular pattern
- sclerosis
- subchondral cysts
- subchondral fractures
What are the 4 phases of osteonecrosis
(in the text book)
- Avascular
- Revascularisation
- Repair
- Deformity
1.
Define Legg Calve Perthes Disease
Avascular necrosis of femoral capital epiphysis before growth plate closure
How long does perthes last?
2-8 years and is usually self limiting
What is the clinical presentation of legg-calve-perthes?
Vague groin pain
Pain to anteromedial knee
Hip abduction and internal rotation causes pain
+ve trendelenberg
+ faber test
What is the normal age for legg calve perthes? (both age brackets and peak)
Ages 3-12
Peak 5-7
What is the aetiology of legg-calve-perthes?
Disturbance of venous drainage or femoral head vasculature vulnerable between 4-7
During life femoral head supplied by epiphyseal vessels from medial circumflex branches of profunda femoris artery, foveal vessels through ligamentum teres, and metaphyseal vessels from bone marrow. At ages 4-6 epiphyseal vessels provide almost all perfusion.
What is the radiological appearance of legg calve perthes?
Hot on bone scan.
Soft tissue swelling
Increased medial joint cavity width:
- accompanying lateral displacement of the femoral head. Usually as a result of effusion or cartilage hyperplasia. (measure between medial femoral head and pelvic teardrop to assess)
Smaller obturator foramen:
- due to antalgic posture (flexion, ER and slight abduction of affected hip)
Reduced femoral head size:
- due to lack of growth because of impaired blood supply
Lucent clefts across epiphysis:
- the most characteristic is a curvilinear, lucent defect paralleling the superior weight-bearing articulating surface, possibly due to nitrogen gas in this subchondral fracture
- esp visible in the frogleg position
Sclerosis:
- Increased density within the involved epiphysis is a manifestation of revascularization, where new bone is being deposited directly over dead trabeculae and is, therefore, a radiographic sign of healing.
Metaphysis widened and shortened:
- femoral neck is frequently widened transversely and decreased in overall length, the most likely cause is appositional bone growth by the periosteum and cessation in longitudinal growth at the physis.
Cysts
- represent displaced uncalcified growth plate cartilage
- often simulate a benign neoplasm.
Widened lucent physis
What are the 4 stages of legg calve perthes?
- Asymmetrical
- Early asymmetric femoral epiphyseal size (smaller on affected side)
- Apparent increased density of the femoral head epiphysis
- Widening of the medial joint space
- Blurring of the physeal plate - Fragmentation
- Fragmentation subchondral lucency (cresent sign)
- Femoral epiphysis fragments
- Femoral head outline is difficult to make out
- Mottled density
- Thickened trabeculae
- Lack of formation NOT destruction - Reparative
- Reparative re-ossificatkon begins
- Shape of the femoral head becomes better defined
- Bone density begins to return - Healed (+ deformity)
- Healed changes depend on the severity of the femoral head may be nearly normal or may demonstrate
- Flattening of the articular surface, esp superiorly
- Widening of the head and neck of the femur
- Large acetabulum
- Coxa magna
- Femoral head = mushroom cap
- Sagging rope sign - intertrochanteric line
- Coxa varus
What are some characteristic radiological signs of legg-calve-perthes?
- Widening of the medial joint space
- Widening of the head and neck of the femur
- Fragmentation subchondral lucency (cresent sign)
- Femoral epiphysis fragments
- Large acetabulum
- Coxa magna
- Femoral head = mushroom cap
- Sagging rope sign - intertrochanteric line
- Coxa varus
Define Freibergs
Avascular necrosis of metatarsal head most commonly 2nd, and occasionally third.