Biomechanics of femoral head aseptic necrosis

Structural compromise of weight-bearing cancellous bone during biologic repair of femoral head necrosis usually results in collapse, requiring total hip replacement. Delay or prevention of femoral head collapse depends upon maintaining tolerably low stress levels until bony structural competence is restored. A series of experimentally based finite element models, here reviewed, has been used to study how internal stresses depend upon lesion characteristics and upon surgical intervention alternatives.