Combined vascularized iliac and greater trochanter graftings for reconstruction of the osteonecrosis femoral head with collapse: reports of three cases with 20 years follow-up

Conversion Total Hip Arthroplasty After Failed Pedicled Peri-Hip Bone Flap Grafting: The Chinese Experience

BACKGROUND

This study investigated the perioperative outcomes of patients undergoing conversion total hip arthroplasty (THA) after failed peri-hip bone flap grafting (PBFG) and compared them with those patients undergoing primary THA for osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH).

METHODS

From January 2010 to December 2021, 163 Chinese patients (163 hips) were treated by conversion THA after failed PBFG (containing 94 patients who had pedicled vascularized iliac bone flap grafting and 69 patients who had pedicled vascularized greater trochanter bone flap grafting), and 178 Chinese patients were treated by primary THA. The preoperative baseline data and perioperative indicators in both groups were compared.

RESULTS

In the conversion group, patients had significantly greater blood loss, a longer length of stay, and greater changes in serum hemoglobin than those in the primary THA group (P < 0.05). The operative room time, transfusion volume, calculated blood loss, changes in serum hematocrit, and increased superficial infection (P > 0.05) in the conversion group were greater compared with the primary cohort; however, the difference was not statistically significant. The mean postoperative Harris Hip Scoring System (HHS) of the PBFG group at the one-month follow-up was 81, and the control group had an 82 score. Importantly, subgroup analysis of the PBFG group indicated that there was no significant difference between patients who had prior pedicled vascularized iliac bone flap grafting and pedicled vascularized greater trochanter bone flap grafting (P > 0.05), except for the operative room time (P = 0.032).

CONCLUSION

Hip-sparing surgery of ONFH did not make THA more difficult or lead to more peri-operative complications, but increased blood loss and extended hospital stay from a prior PBFG are still notable problems in clinical practice. Thus, it is necessary for surgeons to focus attention on the improvement of the preoperative condition and prepare for any specific intraoperative challenges.

Comparison of retrograde anatomy iliac bone flap grafting versus anterograde anatomy iliac bone flap grafting for treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head

BACKGROUND

Iliac bone flap with deep circumflex iliac artery is a common option in the treatment of Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH), and dissection of iliac bone flap is the key step for successful operation. This paper aims to introduce a new operative technique for dissecting iliac bone flap with deep circumflex iliac artery based on analysis of its advantages.

METHODS

A total of 49 patients treated by retrograde anatomy and 52 patients treated by anterograde anatomy from January 2010 to December 2020 were recruited. The two groups were then compared in terms of the preoperative baseline conditions, intraoperative data, and postoperative Harris hip score (HHS).

RESULTS

Compared with the retrograde anatomy group, the anterograde anatomy group had a significantly longer operating time, a significantly heavier intraoperative blood loss, a significantly higher rate of donor complication morbidity, a significantly higher rate of donor-recipient delayed healing, a significantly higher failure rate of iliac bone flap resection, a significantly higher rate of lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN) injury, and a significantly higher rate of ectopic ossification. No difference was found in postoperative HHS score between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

As a new operative technique that can accurately locate the nutrient vessels of the iliac bone flap and quickly dissect the iliac bone flap with deep circumflex iliac artery while maintaining a comparable clinical effect, retrograde anatomy exhibited distinct advantages over anterograde anatomy in terms of simpler intraoperative operation, safer dissection, shorter operation time, lower blood loss, and fewer donor complications.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III, Retrospective.

Relationship of idiopathic femoral head necrosis with blood lipid metabolism and coagulation function: A propensity score-based analysis

Background

Nontraumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) can be corticosteroid-induced, alcohol-induced, and idiopathic ONFH (IONFH). Although corticosteroid- and alcohol-induced ONFH has been investigated extensively regarding its relationship with blood lipids and coagulation factor levels. However, the effect of blood lipid metabolism and coagulation function on IONFH has rarely been studied. Therefore, this study aimed to analyse the relationship of IONFH with blood lipid and coagulation indicators.

Methods

Total 680 patients diagnosed with IONFH in our institution during January 2011-June 2019 who met the inclusion criteria composed the case group; 613 healthy persons who underwent physical examination at our institution during the same period composed the control group. Propensity scores were used for baseline feature matching, and two matching groups each with 450 patients were established. After the matching, blood lipid and coagulation factor levels of both groups were comparatively analysed.

Results

The case group showed significantly higher total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels, low-density/high-density lipoprotein (LDL/HDL) ratio, and apolipoprotein B (Apo-B) levels than the control group (p < 0.05). Conversely, the HDL and apolipoprotein A (Apo-AI) levels in the case group were significantly lower than those in the control group (p < 0.05). Regarding coagulation indicators, the activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time were lower in the case group than in the control group; however, the differences were insignificant (p > 0.05). Furthermore, fibrinogen (FIB) levels and thrombin time (TT) in the case group were higher than those in the control group. There were significant differences between the two groups only in terms of FIB levels (p < 0.05), while TT was not significantly different (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

IONFH has strong associations with blood lipid metabolism and coagulation function, which provide an avenue for exploring the mechanism of IONFH.

Clinical Application of the Musculoperiosteal Iliac Flap for Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head

BACKGROUND

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) often affects young, active patients, and the femoral head's preservation is the primary goal of treatment for this disease. Vascularized iliac crest bone grafting is one of the many vascularized procedures used in treating ONHF. In some cases, we selectively performed this procedure using the musculoperiosteal iliac flap with the ascending branch of the lateral femoral circumflex artery for ONFH treatment.

METHODS

Twelve patients (12 hips) with nontraumatic femoral head necrosis underwent musculoperiosteal iliac flap transfer with the ascending branch of the lateral femoral circumflex artery. The Harris Hip Score (HHS), visual analog scale score, and double-hip X-ray findings were used to analyze hip function changes within 10 days preoperatively and 6 and 12 months postoperatively.

RESULTS

The mean HHS increased from 52.33 ± 3.34 preoperatively to 65.92 ± 5.04 6 months postoperatively and 79.75 ± 3.84 12 months postoperatively, and the data showed a statistical significance difference between preoperative and postoperative (F = 131.90, P < 0.01). The HHS at 6 and 12 months after surgery were significantly different (P < 0.01). The visual analog scale score showed the same trend. The x-ray of hip joints at 6 and 12 months after surgery showed that the femoral heads' shape and contour were good, femoral heads did not collapse, and the transferred bone flaps healed well.

CONCLUSIONS

Musculoperiosteal iliac flap transfer with the ascending branch of the lateral femoral circumflex artery may be an effective method with a high clinical success rate for treating young patients with early to midstage ONFH.

Clinical Follow-up Study of the Reconstruction of the Femoral Head With Transferred Vascularized Greater Trochanter Bone Graft for Association Research Circulation Osseous III-IV Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head

PURPOSE

The aim of the study was to investigate the curative efficacy of osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) in a hip-preserving operative approach, by transferring a vascularized greater trochanter graft combined with osteotomy of the upper third of femoral head, in an attempt to seek an innovative approach for patients who experienced middle- to late-stage ONFH with femoral head's weight-bearing area severely collapsed.

METHOD

Our research included a total of 23 patients (23 hips) who accepted hip-preserving surgery by reconstructing the femoral head with transferred vascularized greater trochanter bone graft for ONFH from January 2013 to December 2017. The definition of reconstructing the femoral head is that we do the osteotomy on the upper third of the femoral head with weight-bearing area severely collapsed, and the remnant femoral head requires a hemispherical bone graft to recover the shape. A vascularized greater trochanter bone graft was next transferred and fixed at the upper portion of the remnant femoral head, and then, the shape and vascular supply of the femoral head are successfully reconstructed. The clinical assessment was performed with Harris Hip Score system. Kaplan-Meier survival curves with femoral head collapse as the end point showing the probability of progression in collapsed femoral head based on the gender, age and body mass index.

RESULTS

Twenty-three patients (23 hips) were eventually contacted by telephone for an outpatient clinic follow-up, with a mean follow-up time of 41.35 months (varied from 16 to 72 months), no patients lost contact. Seven patients (7 hips) had radiographic stage progress. One patient (1 hip) had conversion to total hip arthroplasty at 24 months postoperatively because of progressive femoral head collapse and severely pain. The image success rate was 69.6%, clinical success rate was 65.2%, and the clinical survival rate was 96%. The average Harris Hip Score was 82.5 ± 5.5 points at the last follow-up, representing a great improvement compared with the 51.9 ± 7.2 points obtained preoperatively (P<0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival curves with femoral head collapsed as the end point showing the probability of progression in collapsed femoral head based on the sex, age, and body mass index.

CONCLUSIONS

Reconstructing the femoral head with transferred vascularized greater trochanter bone graft provides a new method for the treatment of the young Association Research Circulation Osseous stage III-IV ONFH patients with severely femoral head collapsed, which can better improve the patient's symptoms, the quality of life, and delay the age of undergoing arthroplasty in young patients.

Endoscopic observation finding in the core decompression procedure of osteonecrosis of femoral head and effect of additional treatments

PURPOSE

To observe necrotic findings of the femoral head through the endoscopic examination when performing the decompression procedure widely used in the treatment of osteonecrosis of femoral head. To assess the efficacy of injection of bone marrow aspirated from the iliac crest and new vascularized bone graft into the core of femoral head based on the endoscopic findings.

METHODS

The first stage of osteonecrosis of femoral head based on ARCO classification includes 23, second stage 36, and third stage eight femoral heads. Bone marrow transplantations have been performed in 49 hip joints and new vascularized bone grafts in 18 hip joints.

RESULTS

The endoscopic findings of osteonecrosis of femoral heads are varied, and they can be divided into five categories. The average time in core decompression and bone marrow injection was 15 minutes, and the average time of new pedicled bone grafts was 65 minutes (45-90 minutes). The efficacy of bone marrow injection was 93.88%, and the efficacy of vascularized bone graft was 94.44% when performed based on the endoscopic findings.

CONCLUSION

It is possible to increase the treatment efficacy of the osteonecrosis of the femoral head when appropriate additional treatments are applied based on endoscopic findings in the decompression procedures of pre-collapse osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

Digital Subtraction Angiography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Based Staging of Circulatory Obstruction in the Femoral Head During Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head Development

INTRODUCTION

Nontraumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head (NONFH) is a common and difficult disease in orthopedics. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) assessment of NONFH and bone marrow edema was combined with digital subtraction angiography (DSA) to evaluate the circulatory status of NONFH in different Association Research Circulation Osseous stages. Based on the circulatory obstruction status (venous stasis, arterial ischemia, and arterial occlusion), appropriate perioperative management was adopted to achieve hip joint preservation and effectively delay the time for total hip arthroplasty in young patients.

METHODS

From January 2013 to March 2019, 41 orthopedic patients were evaluated for medical imaging. Sixty-one ONFH cases were enrolled. The inclusion criteria include: (1) Clear diagnosis of osteonecrosis of the femoral head. (2) No history of infection in the affected hip, no history of hip surgery, and no congenital hip diseases. The patients enrolled in this study were 8 women and 33 men between the ages of 19 and 64 years (mean, 39.25 ± 8.90 years). Preoperative X-ray, computed tomography, MRI, DSA, and histological data were taken.

RESULTS

The combination of DSA and MRI can efficiently show blood supply changes in the femoral head of NONFH patients at different Association Research Circulation Osseous stages; and also can possibly reveal the causes and development of NONFH. Different stages of circulatory obstruction of the femoral head can be clearly distinguished and used to determine the required perioperative management, thus yielding successful surgical outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

The existing classification systems do not fully reflect the progression of circulatory obstruction in ONFH. Each stage of NONFH development has its own characteristics circulatory obstruction. Early-stage NONFH displays characteristic venous stasis of the femoral head, whereas advanced stage NONFH is characterized by insufficient arterial blood supply to the femoral head. Corresponding NONFH treatment strategies should be considered based on their specific circulatory status. This work also provides guidance and recommendations for adopting corresponding femoral head preserving strategies for young patients in different NONFH circulatory status.

Guidelines for clinical diagnosis and treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head in adults (2019 version)

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is a common and refractory disease in orthopaedic clinics. The number of patients with ONFH is increasing worldwide every year. There are an estimated 8.12 million patients with nontraumatic osteonecrosis in China alone. Treatment of nontraumatic osteonecrosis has always been a clinical challenge for orthopaedic surgeons. To further standardize diagnosis and treatment of ONFH, these guidelines provide not only basic diagnosis, treatment, and evaluation systems for ONFH but also expert advice and standards in many aspects, including epidemiology, aetiology, diagnostic criteria, pathological staging, prevention and treatment options, and postoperative rehabilitation. The aetiological factors of ONFH can currently be divided into two major categories: traumatic and nontraumatic; however, the specific pathological mechanism of ONFH is not completely clear. Currently, the staging system of ONFH formulated by the Association Research Circulation Osseous is widely used in clinical practice. Based on the changes in the intraosseous blood supply at different stages, the corresponding nonsurgical and surgical treatments are recommended, and when there are risk factors for possible ONFH, certain preventive measures to avoid the occurrence of osteonecrosis are recommended. These guidelines provide brief classification criteria and treatment regimen for osteonecrosis. Specification of the aetiology, treatment plan based on comprehensive consideration of the different stages of osteonecrosis, hip function, age, and occupation of the patients are important steps in diagnosis and developing treatment strategies.

TRANSLATIONAL POTENTIAL OF THIS ARTICLE

New advances in the epidemiology, etiology, pathophysiology, imaging, diagnosis and treatment of ONFH have been renewed in this revision. This guideline can be used for reference by orthopedic professionals and researchers, and for standardized diagnosis and treatment management under the clinical guidance, which is conducive to the prevention, treatment and further research of ONFH, improving the diagnosis and treatment level, making patients' symptoms under good control, and improving their quality of life.

Application of biomaterials for the repair and treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is one of the most common causes of hip disability in young adults. However, its cause and pathogenesis remain unclear, and might be caused by a variety of factors. ONFH mainly occurs in young adults. If not treated, 70-80% of patients would progress into femoral head collapse in 3 years, and eventually require hip arthroplasty. Since these patients are younger and more physically active, multiple revision hip arthroplasty might be needed in their life. Repeated revision hip arthroplasty is difficult and risky, and has many complications, which inevitably affects the physical and mental health of patients. To delay the time of total hip arthroplasty for young adult patients with ONFH, biomaterials are used for its repair, which has a high clinical and social value for the retention of the patient's own hip function. At present, there are many types of biomaterials used in repairing the femoral head, there is no uniform standard of use and the clinical effects are different. In this review, the main biomaterials used in the repair of ONFH are summarized and analyzed, and the prospects are also described.

[Strategy and discussion of hip joint preserving surgery treatments for adult osteonecrosis of the femoral head]

As a common disease in orthopedics, osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) frequently occurs among young and middle-aged people. Hip joint preserving surgery has attracted more and more attention due to the fact that artificial joint prosthesis has a certain useful life and the rate of hip joint revision is high and the higher risk of many complications. There are a large number of operative methods for preserving hip joint in clinical practice without definitive effectiveness. How to choose appropriate surgical methods at the right time is also a continuous understanding. The pathological process of necrosis of the femur helps to choose the choice of the femoral head necrosis for the treatment of hip operation. Core decompression and impaction bone grafting with simple operative methods can relieve internal pressure of femoral head and pain symptoms, but they cannot remove necrotic bone completely. Hence, they are only used for ONFH in the early stage. Vascularized bone transplantation can fill defects of the former, as it can not only completely remove necrotic bone, but also provide bone graft with nourishing vessels for femoral head, being beneficial to reconstruct the bone structure of femoral head. Subsequently, the application of tantalum rod can provide mechanical support for femoral head to prevent the collapse of femoral head. Hip joint preserving surgery, in recent years, has been performed increasingly, and has obtained improvement in clinical effects. The multiple combination of a variety of its operative methods provides more effective treatments for ONFH. It is an essential notion that hip joint preserving surgery, however with any operative method, should as far as possible select a surgical plan with little trauma, simple methods, and little injury of hip joint bone structure based on ensuring the effectiveness.

Chinese Guideline for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head in Adults

The treatment of adult osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH), with 8.12 million patients in China, remains a challenge to surgeons. To standardize and improve the efficacy of the treatment of ONFH, Chinese specialists updated the experts' suggestions in March 2015, and an experts' consensus was given to provide a current basis for the diagnosis, treatment and evaluation of ONFH. The current guideline provides recommendations for ONFH with respect to epidemiology, etiology, diagnostic criteria, differential diagnosis, staging, treatment, as well as rehabilitation. Risk factors of non-traumatic ONFH include corticosteroid use, alcohol abuse, dysbarism, sickle cell disease and autoimmune disease and others, but the etiology remains unclear. The Association Research Circulation Osseous (ARCO) staging system, including plain radiograph, magnetic resonance imaging, radionuclide examination, and histological findings, is frequently used in staging ONFH. A staging and classification system was proposed by Chinese scholars in recent years. The major differential diagnoses include mid-late term osteoarthritis, transient osteoporosis, and subchondral insufficiency fracture. Management alternatives for ONFH consist of non-operative treatment and operative treatment. Core decompression is currently the most common procedure used in the early stages of ONFH. Vascularized bone grafting is the recommended treatment for ARCO early stage III ONFH. This guideline gives a brief account of principles for selection of treatment for ONFH, and stage, classification, volume of necrosis, joint function, age of the patient, patient occupation, and other factors should be taken into consideration.

[A summary of hip-preservation surgery based on peri-collapse stage of osteonecrosis of femoral head]

Objective

To summarize surgical procedures of hip-preservation based on peri-collapse stage of osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH).

Methods

The basic points of peri-collapse stage theory was expounded. The related literature on surgical procedures was summarized and analyzed based on the theory.

Results

Surgical procedures of hip-preservation tend to emphasize on mechanical repair, giving consideration to biological repair. It is consistent with the essence of peri-collapse stage theory, which attaches great importance to biomechanical stability.

Conclusion

Peri-collapse stage theory has a guiding significance to the choice of surgical timing and approach, and it is one of the important theoretical basis for hip-preservation treatment.

Prevalence of Nontraumatic Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head and its Associated Risk Factors in the Chinese Population: Results from a Nationally Representative Survey

Background:

Nontraumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head (NONFH) is a debilitating disease that represents a significant financial burden for both individuals and healthcare systems. Despite its significance, however, its prevalence in the Chinese general population remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of NONFH and its associated risk factors in the Chinese population.

Methods:

A nationally representative survey of 30,030 respondents was undertaken from June 2012 to August 2013. All participants underwent a questionnaire investigation, physical examination of hip, and bilateral hip joint X-ray and/or magnetic resonance imaging examination. Blood samples were taken after overnight fasting to test serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. We then used multivariate logistic regression analysis to investigate the associations between various metabolic, demographic, and lifestyle-related variables and NONFH.

Results:

NONFH was diagnosed in 218 subjects (0.725%) and the estimated NONFH cases were 8.12 million among Chinese people aged 15 years and over. The prevalence of NONFH was significantly higher in males than in females (1.02% vs. 0.51%, χ² = 24.997, P < 0.001). Among NONFH patients, North residents were subjected to higher prevalence of NONFH than that of South residents (0.85% vs. 0.61%, χ² = 5.847, P = 0.016). Our multivariate regression analysis showed that high blood levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and non-HDL-cholesterol, male, urban residence, family history of osteonecrosis of the femoral head, heavy smoking, alcohol abuse and glucocorticoid intake, overweight, and obesity were all significantly associated with an increased risk of NONFH.

Conclusions:

Our findings highlight that NONFH is a significant public health challenge in China and underscore the need for policy measures on the national level. Furthermore, NONFH shares a number of risk factors with atherosclerosis.

Vascularized bone grafting fixed by biodegradable magnesium screw for treating osteonecrosis of the femoral head

Hip-preserving surgery with vascularized bone graft implantation has been widely practiced in treating osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). However, the current approach presents a drawback, in which the implanted bone graft without screw fixation may slip or exhibit a certain degree of displacement postoperatively. This study was designed to investigate the application potential of biodegradable magnesium (Mg) screws for the fixation of vascularized bone graft in ONFH patients. Forty-eight patients were randomly divided into two groups: the Mg screw group (vascularized bone grafting fixed by Mg screws) and the control group (vascularized bone grafting without fixation). During 12 month follow-up period after surgery, treatment outcomes in patients were assessed by multiple imaging techniques including x-ray and computed tomography (CT) scanning as well as functional recovery Harris hip score (HHS). The temporal changes in serum levels of Mg, Ca, and P as well as in vivo degradation rate of Mg screws were determined. The absence of potential adverse effects induced by degradation products from Mg screws on surrounding bone tissue was validated via CT imaging analysis. HHS was significantly improved in the Mg screw group when compared to the control group. X-ray imaging analysis showed that the screw shape did not show significant alteration due to the diameter of Mg screws measured with approximate 25% reduction within 12 months post-surgically. The postoperative serum levels of Ca, Mg, and P, which are relevant for liver and kidney function, were all within normal physiological range in all patients of both groups. The use of biodegradable Mg screws may provide a promising bone graft-screw fixation route in treating ONFH and present considerable potential for orthopedic applications.

Autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells associated with tantalum rod implantation and vascularized iliac grafting for the treatment of end-stage osteonecrosis of the femoral head

Tantalum rod implantation with vascularized iliac grafting has been reported to be an effective method for the treatment of young patients with osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) to avert the need for total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, there have been unsatisfactory success rates for end-stage ONFH. The authors describe a modified technique using bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) associated with porous tantalum rod implantation combined with vascularized iliac grafting for the treatment of end-stage ONFH. A total of 24 patients (31 hips) with end-stage ONFH were treated with surgery; ARCO IIIc stage was observed in 19 hips and ARCO IV stage was observed in 12 hips. All patients were followed for a mean time of 64.35 ± 13.03 months (range 26–78). Operations on only five hips were converted to THA. The joint-preserving success rate of the entire group was 89.47% for ARCO stage IIIc and 75% for ARCO stage IV. The mean Harris hip score of the 31 hips improved significantly from 38.74 ± 5.88 points (range 22–50) to 77.23 ± 14.75 points (range 33–95). This intervention was safe and effective in delaying or avoiding total hip replacement for end-stage ONFH.

Digital subtraction angiography in selection of the vascularized greater trochanter bone grafting for treatment of osteonecrosis of femoral head

The aim of this report is to present our experience on the use of the digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in selection of the vascularized greater trochanter bone grafting for the treatment of the osteonecrosis of femoral head (ONFH) in early stages. Between January 2005 and June 2007, DSA was used to evaluate the blood perfusion of the early stages ONFH in 32 patients (45 hips). There were 18 males and 14 females with an average age of 30 years old. Twenty-one hips were in ARCO stage I, and 24 in ARCO stage II. The arterial blood supply insufficiency was found in 22 hips by DSA, and the venous stasis in 23 hips. The hips with artery blood supply insufficiency received the vascularized greater trochanter bone grafting, and the hips with the venous stasis received the core decompression. All of patients were followed-up with an average of 4.8 years (ranging 2.4-6.6 years). The preoperative Harris Hip score (HHS) in the patients with arterial blood supply insufficiency was 48.18 ± 7.81 and the postoperative HHS was 93.27 ± 3.03. The preoperative HHS in the patients with venous stasis was 44.04 ± 6.40, and the postoperative HHS 92.65 ± .93. The postoperative DSA showed an improved perfusion of the femoral head in 44 hips. Our experience showed that DSA would help to select the appropriate procedure for treatment of ONFH in the early stage.

Treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head by using the greater trochanteric bone flap with double vascular pedicles

The use of the bone flap transfer has been reported to be successful in treatment of patients with early to medium stage (Ficat and Arlet stage I-III) osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). We examined the vascular anatomy and blood supply of the greater trochanter area and evaluated the feasibility of revascularization of the femoral head by using the bone flap pedicled with transverse and gluteus medius branches of the lateral circumflex femoral artery. Based on the anatomy study, from January 2002 to May 2004, 32 ONFH patients were treated with the greater trochanteric bone flap pedicled with double blood vessels. Fifteen femoral heads were Ficat and Arlet stage II and 17 were stage III. The mean follow-up was 99.5 months. Two of the 32 patients required a total hip replacement due to severe hip pain after surgery. The overall Harris hip score improved from a mean of 55.2 points to 85 points. Our data suggest the procedure is relatively easy to perform, less donor-site morbidity and useful for young patients with stages II to III disease with or without mild collapse of the femoral head.