Osteonecrosis, also called avascular necrosis, ischemic necrosis and aseptic necrosis, is a disease that occurs when a loss of blood supply to bone causes sections of the bone to die. Osteonecrosis literally means “dead bone.” Eventually the dead section of bone weakens and collapses. This commonly happens to the ends of bones at the joint, so the joint collapses and arthritis develops.
