Osteonecrosis of the head of the femur

Small vessels found in the Femoral Neck are responsible for irrigating the Head of the Femur, when this blood flow stops it is possible that Osteonecrosis or Avascular Necrosis may occur, that is, the death of the bone, in this specific case of the Femoral Head. Although it can occur permanently or temporarily, if it is not resolved quickly, the femoral head can collapse and produce osteoarthritis (osteoarthritis) of the hip.

A fracture in the femoral neck, a hip dislocation or even a surgical trauma after an Arthroscopy can cause the irrigation to stop causing the death of the bone. Alcohol, steroids, hypertension, vasculitis, thrombosis, rheumatic diseases and sickle cell anemia can also be triggers for this disease.

Symptoms:
In the early stages, it cannot be determined with the naked eye if there is an Osteonecrosis, for this it is necessary to perform a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. Once in more advanced stages, it usually causes pain in the groin and thigh, stiffness in the hip and limitation of movement, and the patient may even begin to limp. There is no rule of the time in which it develops, symptoms can appear suddenly or progressively.

Handling:
Although the natural process of this pathology is not yet well defined, in many cases the status of the Femoral Head at the time of diagnosis and its collapse is taken as a reference for treatment. If it is determined in the early stages, there are different non-prosthetic and non-surgical surgical treatments that seek to extend the life of the bone. One of them is the perforation of the affected area to reduce the pressure on it and thus reduce pain. Another option consists of an Osteotomy, in which a controlled fracture is made in the bone to reorient the position of the Femoral Head so that it is a healthy area that receives the load and weight. After the collapse has occurred, the best alternative is to perform a Hip Replacement either partial or total depending on each case, this allows the patient to regain their quality of life and to carry out their daily activities without pain.