Core decompression for osteonecrosis of the hip.

The ultimate goal of treatment of patients with osteonecrosis of the hip is preservation of the femoral head. However, the development of a successful strategy to treat this disease has been difficult because neither the etiology nor the natural history of osteonecrosis of the hip has been defined clearly. Core decompression of the hip is one of the most commonly done surgical procedures to treat the early stages of osteonecrosis of the femoral head. However, there is no general consensus among investigators regarding either the specific indications for this procedure, or the specific technique of core decompression that would optimize results. The data available suggest that core decompression is more effective than nonoperative treatment particularly for patients with limited involvement of the femoral head and with an area of sclerosis surrounding the necrotic bone. The combination of core decompression with the use of osteoinductive or angiogenic agents to enhance bone formation and repair may enhance the results of this surgical procedure in the future.