Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head

Abstract

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head is a progressive and debilitating condition with a wide variety of etiologies including trauma, steroid use, and alcohol intake. Diagnosis and staging are based on imaging including MRI at any stage and plain radiography in more advanced lesions. The only definitive treatment is total hip arthroplasty, although numerous treatments including disphosphonates and core decompression are used to delay the progression. Lack of satisfactory conservative measures suggests the need for additional research of osteonecrosis including large patient registries to further understand this condition.