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Pathophysiology of Osteonecrosis

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Bone Circulation and Vascularization in Normal and Pathological Conditions

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((NSSA,volume 247))

Abstract

Death of all the cellular elements of bone indicates osteonecrosis (ON). Irreversible osteocytic necrosis requires a minimum of two hours of complete ischemia with total anoxia (James and Steijn-Myagkaya, 1986). ON without repair occurs with physiologic death of the human skeleton, and it can be seen in paleopathologic specimens that were dehydrated and not permineralized (Figure 1). Unfortunately, the pathophysiology of ON still remains controversial, even though Martin and Rothschild (1989) have found that this disease occurred in the bones of deep-diving reptiles who were living 64 to 100 million years ago.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Diagnostic Osteonecrosis Center and Research Foundation, Kelseyville, USA

    John Paul Jones Jr.

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  1. John Paul Jones Jr.
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Hôpital Erasme, Brussels, Belgium

    A. Schoutens

  2. Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire Rangueil, Toulouse, France

    J. Arlet

  3. Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    J. W. M. Gardeniers

  4. Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK

    S. P. F. Hughes

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© 1993 Plenum Press, New York

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Jones, J.P. (1993). Pathophysiology of Osteonecrosis. In: Schoutens, A., Arlet, J., Gardeniers, J.W.M., Hughes, S.P.F. (eds) Bone Circulation and Vascularization in Normal and Pathological Conditions. NATO ASI Series, vol 247. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-2838-8_28

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-2838-8_28

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  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-2838-8

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