Ischemic diseases of the hip; osteonecrosis, borderline necrosis and bone marrow edema syndrome

Abstract

There is general consensus about the etiology and pathogenesis of femoral head osteonecrosis (ON): ON has a multifactorial etiology, genetic predispositions and acquired risk factors play role together in the pathogenesis of most cases, and both of marrow mechanism and intravascular mechanism are involved in the pathogenesis. There is an ischemic threshold between reversible intraosseous hypoxia, which leads to bone marrow edema syndrome or borderline necrosis, and irreversible intraosseous anoxia, which leads to osteonecrosis.