Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head: Femoral Head Sparing Treatments

Osteonecrosis is a debilitating disease that affects patients with a varying degree of severity. Treatment for severe progression of the disease often includes total hip arthroplasty or resurfacing procedures. In a younger patient population, the preservation of the femoral head is desirable in cases where the integrity of the femoral head can be preserved. The indication for various femoral head preservation techniques differs based on the stage of the disease. Three femoral head preserving techniques will be discussed, including core decompression, percutaneous drilling, and nonvascularized bone grafting.