Avascular necrosis of the femoral head following cardiac transplantation: report of a case.

Avascular necrosis of the femoral head occurred following cardiac transplantation in a 28-year-old man. After cardiac surgery the patient was treated with prednisone and experienced 2 "rejection" episodes. Hip pain began 5 months postoperatively. Roentgenograms revealed rapidly progressive avascular necrosis in both hips. The sequence of events leading to avascular necrosis of bone in this patient is identical to that following other organ transplantations and includes steroid-induced hyperlipemia, fatty infiltration of the liver, systemic fat emboli to subchondral vessels and avascular necrosis.