Interruption of the blood supply to a structure causing it to ‘die’ or disintegrate. In children, a stress fracture to the top of the thigh bone can lead to avascular necrosis in the ball of the hip joint. Avascular necrosis can also occur after a fracture to the scaphoid bone in the wrist, due to absence of blood supply to the proximal pole of the bone.

The Oxford Dictionary of Sports Science & Medicine. Copyright © Michael Kent 1998, 2006, 2007. All rights reserved.